As the world suffered from multiple lockdowns, many families decided they couldn’t bear staying apart for too long and moved into the same homes. America suddenly had many multi-generational households for the first time in years. But what if you don’t have a spare bedroom? Well, you can always turn your basement into an extra bedroom – here’s a few things you need to do in order to transform your basement.
Control Flooding And Other Potential Water Damage
Make sure that you install the best sewage pump you can find, preferably manual. This is a device that is responsible for pumping out water and other debris from your septic tank or sump. Because basements have a tendency to collect water that leaks from different areas, your sump is designed to have that water centered in one place, where it can be pumped out before causing damage.
Get Some Light In There
By definition, you may not have much light entering your basement, if any. You can hire a contractor to build a window well that can allow light into your basement as well as give you the option to air out the basement whenever possible to avoid excess humidity. Of course, letting in light will give the room less of a claustrophobic feel – making it a better option for someone’s bedroom.
Renovate And Decorate
Like most basements, yours probably doesn’t have a home-y aesthetic. Even if you’ve previously renovated it a little, you probably need to give it a touch up to change a few things. It doesn’t need to be anything major – a fresh coat of paint is usually enough to liven up the room, and you may want to partition some areas away from the rest. After all, no one has a washer-dryer in their bedroom. If you’re not willing to pay for construction work, a room divider (a folding screen) is relatively affordable and can add to the home-y feel of the room.
Dehumidifiers Can Improve Air Quality
While in other areas of your home you may have an air purifier with a humidifier function, you’ll need the opposite effect in a basement. Installing a dehumidifier can make sure that your basement doesn’t have that dank smell they tend to get, and make it a more comfortable place to sleep in. This appliance will also help protect your basement walls from moisture issues that can cause some water damage over time. For example, it can protect the new coat of paint (or wallpaper) from peeling away from the high moisture environment.
Conclusion
People all over the countries have found ways to live in basements, even before the pandemic. If you’re in need of adding an extra room to make space for more family members without feeling like you’re living in a ghetto – you can easily renovate and upgrade your basement to make it liveable. The renovation and upgrades involved are in no way complicated, with the exception of adding windows wells (which requires an experienced contractor to avoid damaging your foundations). So, get to renovating on your own!
