5 Ways to Make Sure a Basement is a Comfortable Living Space When Building a New Home
When designed and built correctly, a comfortable basement adds significant property and project value to the builder. Basements being mere catch-all storage spaces are a thing of the past; these liveable below-grade spaces are more coveted than ever as workforces are now settled into a work-from-home lifestyle.
But in order to make a basement a comfortable living area, you’ll require various safeguards to ensure the below-grade space stays dry. The builder must do certain things when the entire structure is built; otherwise, the basement will be damp, moist, and vulnerable to mold growth.
Here are five methods to make sure a basement is a comfortable living space when you are building a new home.
1. Install a foundation drainage system.
A drainage system installed at the beginning of the building project is the first critical step to ensure water and moisture do not get trapped around the foundation. By placing a drain pipe around the foundation, water drains to a lower level and can be connected to a sump.
In addition, a dimpled membrane like DELTA®-MS should be used in order to drain water away from the exterior walls of the basement and into the external drain pipe. Using a waterproofing membrane on the concrete foundation walls in conjunction with a drainage product like DELTA-DRAIN® will provide maximum moisture protection for the basement and help to create a dry and comfortable interior living space.
2. Install a proper draining system of waterspouts, gutters, and overhangs.
Keeping water from constantly falling around the foundation in a concentrated manner will help keep your basement dry.
Wide roof eaves extend the coverage around the foundation and ensure that water moves away from the basement. In addition, gutters at the roof eaves with the proper amount of downspouts will help redistribute water to make sure it does not pool in the same place.
The downspouts should also be extended and pointed away from the house, preferably directed toward a sunny space or dry well so water cannot collect for long periods.
3. Adjust the grade.
The grade around your foundation should be sloping away from the basement, which will make sure that water runoff moves away from the house.
A sloping grade between 2% and 6% allows water to be carried away without jeopardizing the soil stability of the foundation. Dirt hauled to the site should allow for easy soil drainage, which will also help keep the area around the foundation dry.
Properly placed permeable surfaces, like pavers and gravel, can also help slow down the rate of collecting water and maintain a stable grade.
4. Install a swale or french drain.
If your home is situated downhill, water will easily find itself collecting at your foundation if it is not rerouted by a swale or french drain.
A swale can complement the foundation by putting redirected water somewhere safe and away from the basement. A french drain is a more costly but extremely effective solution since it handles water on top and through the soil with its perforated piping system.
5. Reduce interior causes for moisture and moisture damage.
Proper ventilation is a must, especially if the basement is used as a laundry room, includes a bathroom, or offers a kitchen for cooking. The moisture released by all these appliances or activities can contribute to a basement’s dampness. Before the entire building is finished, installing proper ventilation fans and sealing interior walls will help reduce interior condensation.
You should install a high-performance subfloor, too. Without a professional-grade subfloor system, moisture vapor can seep through the concrete and cause damage to the laminate flooring. This moisture vapor also causes basements to be cold and damp, even if the first four steps are taken. For a warm, dry and comfortable basement, do not skip this important step by using an ordinary subfloor.
Basement living space requirements
Along with keeping the basement dry, you’ll also want to be sure the space meets all local building code requirements. You’re likely among the more than 90 percent of communities in the United States that adopt the standards of the International Code Council (ICC), but you’ll want to verify to be sure.
For example, the ICC’s 2006 International Residential Code for One- and Two-Story Dwellings has language stating that basements that contain one or more sleeping rooms are required to have emergency egress and rescue openings in each sleeping room.
Overall, building a new home is the perfect time to take preventative measures to ensure a dry below-grade space. By taking care to improve the foundation, grading, and more, you will avoid costly callbacks for repairs later on as your homeowners enjoy their warm and comfortable basement.
If you’d like to continue mastering the art of dry basement foundations, our free Guide to Protecting Foundations and Reputations will help you build better basements, and provide solutions to correct your existing moisture issues.
