- By Dylan Smith
- In Uncategorized
How to Ensure Your Finished Basement is Safe
An increasing number of homeowners have started to invest in basement finishing because they know how it can benefit them. A finished basement provides additional living space, boosts the value of a property, and offers an exceptional ROI. You can’t deny that basement finishing and remodeling are among the best home improvement projects that are absolutely worth the cost.
However, you may want to make sure that your finished basement is safe and can be used as a living space. Most basements usually don’t have any form of ventilation that may make people spending time in the basement feel suffocated. Your basement is also at a higher risk of getting flooded. The risks and threats are plenty, but there are ways in which you can ensure that your finished basement is a safe place to be.
Follow the Building Code
Every state has special requirements when it comes to basement finishing. It’s important that you follow the code. The authorities have set certain requirements to ensure the safety of finished basements. Some of these are:
- The basement should have windows
- There should be an opening that’s at least 5 square feet through which you can crawl in case of an emergency
- The sill must be at least44-inches from the floor
- There should be a window well that covers a floor space of at least 9 feet. This would make way for emergency rescue teams to enter the basement in case of emergency
Keep Your Basement Clean and Clutter-Free
Basements are ideal places for pests like roaches and rats. If you don’t keep your basement neat and clutter-free, the chances of widespread pest infestation are quite high. The infestation can spread to the rest of your house, too, if not taken care of. A basement that has pests can’t be safe for you to spend time in. Therefore, you’ve got to ensure that your basement is clean at all times because only then can you be sure of its safety.
Keep Your Basement Dry
Most of the pipelines of your property run through the basement. If there’s any leakage in any pipe, it’ll have the biggest impact on the basement. Your basement already lacks ventilation. Any moisture or water leakage will lead to extensive water damage, which can eventually lead to mold growth. Mold spores can cause serious allergic symptoms and breathing problems.
Apart from the water damage inside your basement, you need to protect your basement from water coming from outside as well. Basements are well below the ground level and are highly prone to flooding. You’ve got to make sure that there’s proper drainage in your basement and the slope of the ground outside the basement is away from the basement. If it’s not, water from rain will flood your basement and ruin everything you’ve done in your basement.
Always hire the best basement finishing professionals to finish your basement because only the best ones know how to do the job right.
