Modern-day basements are no longer the dingy scary spaces of yesterday that everyone feared going down to. Nowadays, they are being converted into cozy living rooms, music rooms or even spare bedrooms for guests.
If you want to use your basement as such, you have to invest in finishing up well so that it is as good looking as it is healthy. The steps to converting your basement into a decent usable room involve waterproofing, painting and insulating.
The good thing is a good spray foam insulation contractor in Kansas City can help you handle all this with ease.
Waterproofing Comes First
All forms of insulation are catastrophic when used in a damp place. With the basement being prone to flooding and dampness, you first have to invest in waterproofing before you even think of insulating the basement.
In most cases, the contractor doing the insulation will have his or her own waterproofing experts; hence you don’t have to hire extra handymen. The waterproofing will range from sealing your walls to ensuring that your gutters and surface runoff drainage system is working perfectly to steer away as much moisture as possible.
Mind Other Fixtures When Installing Insulation
Other fixtures like recessed lighting or even your boiler can interact with your insulation material of choice in a way you didn’t expect. For instance, if you push your insulation too close to recessed lighting, the heat from the lights will accumulate increasing the risk of a fire or making the light fail sooner than it would have.
Talking your installer through your design ideas and letting them know of what fixtures go where will help them plan and anticipate any fixtures you plan to install in the basement after the insulation.
Don’t Forget to Insulate the Basement Ceiling
While most people will pay much attention to the basement walls, some tend to forget the basement ceiling thinking that it is already covered since it opens into the house. Sparing some insulation material for the ceiling will not only make your basement cozier but also make the up floor warmer to the foot.
This will largely cut down on your HVAC bills in the end. The insulated ceiling will also keep your basement cooler during those hot summer days hence minimizing how many times you have to switch on the fan.
Don’t Insulate a Basement That Has Blemishes
A good insulating job can easily hide any blemishes and faults in your basement giving you the out of sight out of mind attitude. While you might not notice the blemishes you covered with the foam insulation, your home’s foundation will still suffer from their effects.
Ignoring cracks, faulty egress windows and ventilation could prove catastrophic. Have them checked and fixed before insulating the basement.
Converting your basement into a usable room is not only great for your family but also a good way to add value to your property. All you have to do is ensure that you do a decent job that will hold value for years to come.
