Phil Emery, Marketing Director for AGT Products Inc. shares his expert tips on springtime basement remodelling.
Why the first thing you need to consider in your basement spring renos is what’s underneath the floor
Spring fever is here, and most people are decluttering their homes to create more space or they are considering a remodeling project of some sort. April through June is a popular time for home renovations and if you are trying to expand your home living space, the basement is the perfect place to do that. Whether it’s unfinished and you want to make it habitable or you want to undergo a remodel to change the room’s purpose, the basement can be the smartest and most cost-efficient way to create more usable space in a home.
Basements are quite versatile and can morph into pretty much anything if given some TLC – from a family hang out place, to a guestroom, an apartment, a man cave or a she-den. However, no matter what you want the space to look like or how you want it to serve you, the most important thing that you need to consider in the planning and pre-construction phase is what’s going to be underneath your finished basement flooring. A good subfloor is the first and most essential step in creating a basement living space.
What’s a subfloor and why you need it
You should never build without installing a good subflooring product above the concrete to provide a more comfortable finished floor. Something like DRICORE® subfloor panels are an excellent solution for any homeowner’s basement, as it will make the entire environment more comfortable, and will protect the living space against moisture damage.
Build it right
If you don’t know anything about basement renovations (they can be tricky) and subflooring installation, do consider hiring a contractor who specializes specifically in this type of space. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer and want to own the room, then you can take on the project and you’ll find it easy to install DRICORE subflooring that requires an afternoon and only a saw and mallet to get the panels in place.
Make it comfortable
You want your basement to be as warm and comfortable as any other space in your house. Typically, these subterranean dark spaces are considered damp, cold, smelly and inhabited by mold. Older homes can have basements that are not well insulated and the concrete at the base continually releases moisture. You’re thinking this sounds like a horror movie, and it can be. If a basement is not done right, it can be a complete nightmare to live in.
The raised moisture barrier that comes with subfloor panels insulates and cushions finished floors making for a comfortable and pleasing basement experience. A good subfloor product like DRICORE is designed with air gap technology that creates a positive air flow in the room and will ensure a warm, dry and cozy basement for the family to enjoy all year round.
Make it energy efficient
Although our spring has been cooler than usual, when it comes to a comfortable basement we think “out with the cold floors and bring in the heat”. With cool days, it’s important to make sure your basement can retain that comfortable temperature. A subfloor product like DRICORE R+ aids in creating a warmer floor and can raise finished floor temperatures by 5. ° C / 10.6° F. On average this represents a 4% savings for a two-story home in Canada.
Summer ready
When your basement has an impervious subflooring product on top of the concrete it can withstand the humid summer weather that can lead to many basement moisture problems. A subfloor protects your basement’s finished floor from the warm, moist summer air that can make its way into your basement resulting in condensation that happens at floor level where the concrete is the coolest part. The warm air passes through, cools and leaves moisture droplets that eventually mutate into mold and musty smelling basements. Subflooring over your concrete prevents this from happening.
