Basement Finishing Preparation in Upstate New York
IS YOUR BASEMENT VALUABLE SPACE?
Finishing your basement can increase the living space and value of your home.
However- the first concern before finishing the basement should be to keep it dry. This means to protect the basement from water seepage, flooding and water vapor trans mission. Moisture can get into the sheetrock, carpet, and studding causing mold, mildew, rot, and odors in the building materials as well as personal items and furniture. Adirondack Basement Systems suggests 10 easy steps that should be taken prior to finishing the basement.
- Install an effective waterproofing system.
- Install a reliable sump pump with alarm and back-up system.
- Guard against floods from frozen sump discharge lines.
- Install a vapor barrier on the walls before you put up finished walls.
- Keep the floor warm, dry and comfortable.
- Protect against common plumbing leaks that ruin your finished basement.
- Egress Requirements
- Dehumidify the space.
- Perform some basic exterior maintenance.
- When Choosing a Contractor to Finish Your Basement.
1.) An Effective Waterproofing System - water issues never get better, they only get worse as a house ages. This is caused when the drainage and coatings that protected the house originally fail. Even if water seepage occurred only once a year, it should be attended to prior to finishing because it only takes one flood to ruin a finished basement. Waterproofing systems are much easier to install in an unfinished basement. Some homeowners will put in a system prior to the first seepage, just in case. It is highly recommended that this system be installed around the entire perimeter of the basement.
2.) Sump Pumps, Back-up Systems and Alarms Guard Against Floods- Before investing in finishing your basement, you should invest in the best sump pump protection available to protect your home from : primary pump failure, pump overload (from torrential downpours), and power failure. 
The sump pump should be in a liner, with an air tight lid (so that no moisture can evaporate into the air). A battery operated back-up pumping system with a DC pump installed in the same sump hole, with a battery, and a charging system . An alarm should be attached to the liner to alert you to a pump failure before your floor gets wet. Most sump pumps discharge outside. Snow and ice can block the opening and cause it to freeze. This will keep the water from getting out of the sump hole, and could cause your basement to flood. There are patented products on the market that can prevent this from occurring. All of these will help to ensure that you are protecting your investment all of the time, just not part of the time!
3.) Install a Vapor Barrier- Basement walls can leak. Water vapor can pass through the walls and cause high humidity in the basement. Installing a high quality durable vapor barrier will direct water down the wall into the drainage system below. This will keep studding, sheetrock and wall coverings dry. 
Vapor barriers will keep vapor from getting into the basement environment and lower humidity levels. It is important that the vapor barrier is sealed to the top of the wall and that on the bottom it is tucked into a drainage system . Even better if you use a product that has reflective properties to keep the heat in during cooler months.
4.) Keep the floor warm, dry and comfortable- Once leakage problems from the walls perimeter and floor have been eliminated, the next thing to do is to eliminate water vapor from coming up through the concrete floor. Concrete is porous and water vapor will slowly and continuously seep up through the floor. When laying carpet directly on a bare concrete floor, moisture gets trapped under the carpet and causes odors, mold and rot in the carpet. There are m
any products available to use as a vapor barrier. The most effective type of material to use is a plastic based tile material which unlike systems that use plywood is vapor proof, and will not rot or support mold growth . This type of product also creates a small air gap between the concrete and the flooring which prevents moisture from building up. The installation using a plastic material will raise the floor less than 1/2 in, instead of loosing up to 4 in of precious ceiling height in other methods.
5.)Protect against common plumbing leaks that can ruin your finished basement- Any water leakage will have the same damaging effect in your finished basement. There are two common water leaks that can occur : the WATER HEATER and WASHING MACHINE HOSES. The average life of a water heater is seven years! When they fail they usually flood the basement. There are ways to contain the seepage and drain it into a perimeter drainage system . Did you know you can flood your basement even if the washing machine is on an upper floor? Eventually, these hoses leak or blow out and can cause major damage.
6.) Basement Windows- Inspecting the basement windows - Will you be happy with them in your newly finished basement? Are they Cracked or poorly insulated? Basement windows are known for being drafty or hard to open. Basement windows are in a wet environment (being near/at ground level, or in a window well that holds water) Water can cause metal window frames to rust and wood frames to rot. Many do not have screens and painting them every year is always a challenge. There are windows available that are: all vinyl, double pane insulated glass with full screens. The right time to replace windows in a basement is prior to finishing.
7.) EGRESS Requirements- New York State Building Code requires that any basement with habitable space and EVERY bedroom located in the basement must have second means of escape to the outside. A standard basement window does not apply, nor does access into a garage. Types of egress would include: Basement door with walk out, or an Egress window with Window Well that meets code.
8.) Dehumidify the space - Make sure to have a dehumidifier big enough to do the job. This will ensure that you won't have high humidity and musty smells in your finished basement.
9.) Exterior maintenance - You should extend any downspouts away from the house to keep roof water away from the foundation. Keep the soil graded away from the house, keep your gutters clean, and keep window wells clear of leaves and debris.
10.) When Choosing a Contractor to Finish Your Basement- When looking for a contractor to finish your basement, do not look for the lowest price. Instead, seek out a contractor you trust, who is reliable and finishes jobs on time. Get references from contractors and call them . Contact the Better Business Bureau to verify they are creditable. Meet with the contractor more than once, to make sure you are comfortable with them. Also, make sure that the contractor returns phone calls and is easy to communicate with.
If you are planning on finishing your basement, visit Total Basement Solutions for finishing products and a free basement finishing estimate.
For basement finishing in New York, we service the following areas: Newtonville, Latham, Albany, Schenectady, Clifton Park, Saratoga Springs, Rexford, Troy, Guilderland, Ballston Spa, Delmar, Glens Falls, New York, Amsterdam, Cohoes, Rensselaer, Wynantskill, Sunnyside, East Greenbush, Gloversville, Lake George, Brooklyn, Burnt Hills, Chatham, Duanesburg, Selkirk, South Glens Falls, Bainbridge, Canajoharie, Glenmont, Kew Gardens, Melrose, New Windsor, Pottersville, Ray Brook, Schoharie, Stuyvesant and surrounding areas .
