Finishing Your Basement
Make your basement a living space
If you go through the effort of finishing, a basement can be viewed as “found” living space in your house. If an unfinished basement or cellar can be renovated to become living space, you have in essence increased the square footage of your house without moving. A remodeled basement will supply you with extra comfort and convenience and will increase the market value of your house.
Finishing a foundation makes always sense
Even if your basement is already finished, finishing again may still make sense. A previously ignored basement home entertainment may be transformed into that wine cellar you need, or a rarely used recreation room for the kids may turn into the spare bedroom room you’ve always wanted. In the lucky event that your basement has already been finished either by the previous owner, or by you many years ago, much of the work and expense can be removed from the new project.
Is your foundation dry?
It is vital to be confident that your basement will always be dry before you begin your basement renovation. Start your project by inspecting the foundation walls, with close attention to the corners and the area where the walls meet the floor. Engage a specialist to fill any cracks in the foundation walls you may see, and it is an excellent investment to have the walls waterproofed before you begin your project.
Cover the walls
No matter what manner of area you are remodeling, you must cover the cement or block walls. To cover the foundation walls, it is probably a good idea to hire a dry wall contractor who will stud out the walls and install the drywall. Spackled, sanded and painted sheetrock will immediately instill in your unfinished basement space a warmer and more inviting look.
Build an attractive floor for your foundation
You can think about having your contractor build an insulated floor covering the cement slab; assuring that you can keep the finishing basement cozier and dryer. The cement basement slab can be overlaid with linoleum or ceramic tiles, or it may be carpeted. A well-constructed and beautiful floor gives a remodeled basement the appearance of being an integral part of the home, not only a postscript.
Using the correct lighting
Basements are by their very nature dingy, because they usually provide little or no natural lighting. Using the correct lighting is critical to a successful basement renovation. What we want to accomplish with basement lighting is to cause the user to remain unaware that he is in a space without windows, or at best, equipped with insufficiently sized windows.
If the basement is partially below grade, try to install as large a quantity of windows as practical to maximize natural light. Indirect lighting is the most effective way to light a basement, since it gives the space a more spacious feel, and gives the impression of higher ceilings. If the basement is completely below grade, the homeowner should use as much lighting as possible to avoid having the normally low-ceilinged basement feel like a cave.
Let your imagination roam free.
Since your basement is essentially a gift of, let your imagination roam free. If your budget can stand it, you can switch some cool, damp storage room into a wine cellar, a home entertainment room, a cozy den, a home office – and enhance the value of your home in doing so.
Frank Sarntarpia
Find info on kitchen remodeling ideas and all about advantages of solar energy.
Every day, households around the world are using up the planet’s resources for energy. If this continues, these energy sources will be depleted quickly -unless alternative renewable energy sources are utilized. One of the energy sources that modern technology has recently put to good use is solar energy. Solar energy isn’t anything new, but new technology advancements have placed solar power more into the mainstream, and it may one day be one of our primary sources of power.
Advantages of Solar Energy
Since solar energy comes directly from the sun, it is not only renewable, but also accessible in any part of the world. As long as the proper equipment is utilized, unlimited amounts of solar power can be collected and put to good use.
Solar energy is also one of the cleanest energy forms, since it causes no pollution, and produces no greenhouse gases or waste products.
For residential uses, solar power minimizes any negative impacts on the surrounding environment, making it a safer alternative to wind or hydro power.
Not only is solar energy non-pollutant, in terms of gases, but it also causes zero noise pollution – since there are no moving parts in any of the devices which are used to capture the sun’s energy.
Because no moving parts are used, maintenance costs are low as well – only occasional cleaning and periodic battery replacements are needed. Most manufacturers of solar panels provide twenty-year warranties for their equipment, guaranteeing long-life operation.
Solar panels placed on rooftops also double as a heat absorbers, slightly cooling the top area of the house which is directly below the roof.
Disadvantages of Solar Energy
The most obvious drawback of solar energy is its sole dependence on the sun. Once the weather becomes cloudy, or night strikes, energy collection comes to a halt. However, recent advancements of technology now allow the generated power to be stored in special batteries which provide roughly enough electricity to last a night. This is why solar-powered devices, including flashlights, are gaining in popularity and are proving to be efficient energy savers.
Solar panels can also be expensive, because of the materials that are used to create them. And even when these materials are taken out of the equation, the entire process, considering the other devices involved, can be a bit costly. This includes portable devices that utilize solar energy. But most of the cost involved is in the initial purchase and installation of a solar power system – not running costs.
Fortunately, there are some people who sell damaged solar cells, which are much cheaper. These damaged solar cells can be used to build fully functional solar panels, using the application of simple do-it-yourself techniques.
Although sunlight hits every part of the world, at some point in time, direct sunlight is needed in order to make the most of the sun’s energy, and to generate the highest amounts of power. This significantly restricts the placement of solar panels. And some areas in the world may receive little benefit, due to lesser sunlight.
What’s the Bottom Line?
More research and development continues to be invested into this growing technology, and that’s a good sign for the future of our households – as solar power may one day be used more frequently than other energy sources. Of course, solar energy isn’t perfect, but it makes a great complimentary addition to other energy forms.
Visit Home Solar Power and Portable Solar Chargers for additional information on how solar power is used, in the home or on the road.
Source article: Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Power
