Ideas for Basement Use
A basement is a space normally used for storage but it has the potential to be that and much more. Here are some ideas:
A Home Gym:
Adding some bright color and light to a basement and installing mirrors and fun artwork on the wall gives motivation to workout in the basement. What’s more, putting the heavy equipment and weights in the basement that is fitted with durable PVC walls is a much better idea than putting it on a main floor that could be damaged if weights are dropped or equipment is uneven.
Children’s Toy Room:
Having a place to “hide” all the toys and the noise is reason enough to make a basement into a playroom. Just think of the space you’ll gain in the main living areas of the house with all that clutter gone. Plus, with the PVC walls, kids can rough house and play and there is no concern of scratching or denting the walls.
Home Office:
Basements are a great place to set up a home office. It allows you to work in a quite environment and have enough storage space to house files and office equipment that can take up a lot of living room in your home.
Media/TV Room:
More and more people are buying big screen tvs or home theatre equipment. The wall space needed for that is sometimes limited so families are using the basement as a
media/tv room to house this equipment.
Craft/Hobby Room:
A renovated basement is a great place to store all the items needed for crafts of hobbies. And because it is hidden from the rest of the house, you can leave projects unfinished and not worry about the mess.
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Windows
Vinyl
A unique combination of versatility and durability, vinyl windows have become a favorite among homeowners nation wide.They are available in a wide range of styles and shapes, are easily customized, are competitively priced, require low maintenance, and mold easily into almost any shape. Also can be painted over, however the paint won't look as good as it does on a Wood Window.
Wood
Wood is probably the most visually appealing replacement window. They come in many different shades and sizes. Wood is a very good
insulatior. Wood windows battle extreme temperatures well and won't usually be affected. Wood is however, susceptible to shrinking and swelling, and requires more maintenance than vinyl. If regular maintenance is not done, wood frames may warp or crack.
Aluminum
One plus for Aluminum is the strength of the material. Aluminum is the strongest of all the windows. Also aluminum doesn't deteriorate or shrink, swell, crack, rust. It's weakness is it's ability to conduct heat, it may allow heat, cold and moisture to creep in from the outside.
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Siding
Vinyl is widely used in construction today. It resembles wood and comes in various styles and colors. One of the advantages of vinyl is that the color of the vinyl permeates the thickness of panel making scratches almost unnoticeable. Vinyl responds well in a wide variety of temperatures and climates. Unlike aluminum, damaged panels can be replaced quite quickly. Unlike woods, vinyl has a relatively high ignition temperature of 736 F. Cedar will burn 2 times faster and hardboard will burn 3 times faster than vinyl. This slower burn rate can give occupants more time to escape, in case of fire.
Stucco is a combination of sand, cement and water. It is waterproof and weatherproof. Though it is waterproof and weatherproof, it is also permeable to water vapor. It lets moisture escape from the walls.
Woods such as cedar, redwood and cypress are most often used as siding. Some woods are very attractive to animals or birds, like woodpeckers, whose pecking will make holes or otherwise damage siding. It is important to know about the area you live in before choosing a particular type of wood. Cedar is a large coniferous tree, its surface is soft and its grain is intricate. Cedar produces a natural tannin that is thought to be a natural insect repellent. These tannins can cause spots, especially after rain storms. The spotting will stop after about 3 years, once the wood is used to the weather conditions. Redwood is similar to cedar except in its color.
Aluminum is similar to vinyl but is very susceptible to dents, for example, when hit by a ball or leaned on. It is relatively low maintenance in the earlier years. It will need repainting when you touch it and a chalky residue appears on your finger. When it does need repainting it must be carefully prepared using a primer specifically selected for that aluminum. Once in a while a manufacturer will discontinue a pattern. It's a good idea to purchase several replacement panels when you make the initial siding purchase.
Brick is now more affordable due to the newer mortarless applications available. Mortarless brick is made of concrete.
Plywood. Common plywood veneers include southern yellow pine, Douglas fir and western red cedar. Plywood siding can be either smooth or roughhewn. One preferred plywood siding is T1-11, which is grooved to resemble lumber. Plywood siding applied horizontally is susceptible to water penetration. Two possible remedies for this are flashing behind the plywood or creating scarfed joints.
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Do You Need A New Roof?
There's nothing more frustrating than a leaky roof! Dashing around with mops and buckets during a rainstorm could put a damper on any occasion; seeking out the source of the
leak(s) can be even more exasperating. (Since water runs downhill, leaks are seldom straightforward. It's actually quite rare-even on flat roofs-for leaks to stem from a source directly overhead.)
Most roofs–even those made of metal–will eventually wear out. The smartest option is to maintain your roof with regular repairs and, when the time comes, to replace your roof before problems absolutely force you to do so. (This ounce of prevention is, indeed, worth the effort. Remember, your roof protects everything in your home from the outside elements; even a small leak can become a costly proposition when furnishings and belongings must be replaced.)
Since our home's roof is "over our heads" and is also something that we see on a regular basis, it is easy to miss signs of deterioration. An annual inspection will probably identify most roof problems. To do this, you need to view your roof from several vantage points.
First, stand at a distance from your roofline so that you can see the entire structure. This will reveal any obvious problems and give you an overall view of the situation. Pay special attention to the ridge and rakes, since this is where roofing material detaches from first. Then you can get up close and personal with the construction and further assess the damage.
When Inspecting your roof for damage, look for:
Loose or popped nails
Loose or missing flashing around vent pipes, chimneys or wall junctions
Cracks or gaps in caulked areas
Holes in the valleys
Rotting (To assess this, test the pliability of material at the eaves using a putty knife. You should be able to push in a screwdriver's tip no more than one-half inch.
Finally, you should inspect your roof from the inside. To do this, enter your attic and inspect the underside of the structure. (You should do this even if you have not witnessed leaks in your living quarters; there could easily be undetected leaks in the attic that will cause problems down the road.) Look for the obvious signs of water damage: stains, matted or crusted insulation, etc.
Even if your inspection (or, if the leak found you instead of vice versa, your interior downpour) reveals leak problems, it does not necessarily mean that obtaining a new roof is imminent. The age of the roof and the signs of deterioration ultimately determine if repairs are a viable option or if you will require complete roof replacement.
The signs of deterioration on any type of roof system can be attributed to a combination of abuse from the sun's ultraviolet rays, storms, insects and temperature change adjustments. (Ultraviolet rays are probably most damaging, so it is quite common for one area of your roof–that which receives the most intense sun for longest length of time each day–to suffer more severe deterioration than others.) Damage caused by termites, hail, wind, rotting or settling of the house structure or chimney is frequently hidden from view.
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