Goodnight, Irene: It's Time to Reclaim Your Basement
What Irene lacked in hurricane force she more than made up for in size and rain.
by Bud Dietrich, AIA
The storm surge has caused
rivers to overflow and streets to flood. Unfortunately, there's not
much that can be done until after the storm waters recede. This may
take a few days. In the meantime be careful not to endanger yourself or
cause more damage to your property by staying in your home if you don't
have to.
by Bud Dietrich, AIA
Once the storm waters outside
have receded, it's time to get rid of the water in your basement. Don't
try to pump out water until the ground water outside is nearer to
normal conditions. Water pressure on the foundation walls can cause
serious structural damage if you pump out the water inside when there's
still water outside.
by Bud Dietrich, AIA
Once you've gotten all the water out, it's time to clean out the debris, muck and damaged personal belongings.
Toss everything, including carpeting, wall finishes and furniture that's too far gone. Then strip out all of the water-damaged basement construction, including drywall and wood framing. Anything left that's been waterlogged can be the source of future mold growth and all of the problems that can cause.
by Bud Dietrich, AIA
Toss everything, including carpeting, wall finishes and furniture that's too far gone. Then strip out all of the water-damaged basement construction, including drywall and wood framing. Anything left that's been waterlogged can be the source of future mold growth and all of the problems that can cause.
Dry out the basement using
portable fans and dehumidifiers. Make sure everything is dry before
attempting any restoration. Use cleaning agents such as bleach to get
rid of any water stains and mold spores.
Once the basement is dry, test for air quality and any evidence of damp areas and possible mold spores. Use bleach or something similar to clean up any remaining areas of concern.
by Bud Dietrich, AIA
Once the basement is dry, test for air quality and any evidence of damp areas and possible mold spores. Use bleach or something similar to clean up any remaining areas of concern.
Though there isn't anything
that would prevent the kind of flooding caused by Irene, there are some
simple things that can be done to keep a basement dry 99.9% of the time.
It involves taking a "belt and suspenders" approach — not just one
drain tile system, but two.
There's a little underground "roof" to shed ground water away from the foundation (see diagram). And there's making sure the sump pumps are on a backup power system such as batteries or a generator.
by Bud Dietrich, AIA
There's a little underground "roof" to shed ground water away from the foundation (see diagram). And there's making sure the sump pumps are on a backup power system such as batteries or a generator.
Once the crisis has passed it
can take some time to get life back to normal and replace any essentials
your basement once held. If budget allows, you may even begin dreaming
of the basement game room, spare bedroom or home gym you've long wanted.
Maybe add a few windows or make the ones you have larger. A neat basement window product is the Bilco Scapwell.
Read on for some basement design ideas to get you started — whether you want to jump right on a project or are still just dreaming for now.
by Peregrine Design Build
Maybe add a few windows or make the ones you have larger. A neat basement window product is the Bilco Scapwell.
Read on for some basement design ideas to get you started — whether you want to jump right on a project or are still just dreaming for now.
Create a nice seating area for the big-screen television and share light between rooms to keep the basement light and bright.
by LDa Architecture & Interiors
There's always the ubiquitous
water meter, electrical panel, etc. So integrate built-ins with these
requirements to get a custom, seamless look.
by Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.
Oh, yes. Definitely a hockey area for the kids to practice. Just make sure the walls are padded and soundproofed.
by Feathered Nest Interiors, LLC
Future creative genius here. Hope nobody ever tells him to stop writing on walls.
by From House to Home
Doesn't every home have a basketball court in the basement. All that's required is a little more digging!
by Debbie Wiener
Bar, pool table and bigscreen TV. I think I'd never leave this basement.
by Synergy Design & Construction, Inc.
Forget the finished ceiling. Expose the structure to give the illusion of extra height.
by Birdseye Design
Like peanut butter and jelly, Oreos and milk, basements and bars just naturally fit together.
by Dunlap Design Group, LLC 
And yes, an exercise area that's light and comfortable and, most important of all, a place I'll actually want to exercise in.
A nice sauna or steam shower would be great when we're done exercising.
by Birdseye Design
Think about adding a bedroom. Just make sure you have enough light and an egress window to meet building codes.
by Cornerstone Group Architects
Basement windows may be small but they can sure bring in a lot of light if grouped together.
by Giulietti Schouten Architects
And make the way to the basement fun and interesting with a different type of railing.
by Nic Darling
Add a bathroom so the revelers at your Superbowl party don't have to go upstairs.
by John Lum Architecture, Inc. AIA
