Archive for the ‘All Questions and Answers’ Category
Concrete forms
A stroll around the grounds of any home will likely reveal something produced with concrete molds. Among the numerous objects built from concrete molds include counter tops, yard ornaments, and walkways. Producing them can be a do-it-yourself project if a few clear-cut steps are adhered to.
You will need to figure out if a cement mixer or a wheelbarrow will be most appropriate for mixing cement, based on the size and scope of the project. Two key things to keep in mind whenever making concrete molds; the first is to properly calculate the amount of cement you must buy to make your mold and next to make sure you use cement able to withstand 5,000 lbs of pressure per square inch. Cement must be something like the thickness of oatmeal when it is ready to pour into the mold. When it is too lumpy put water in the concrete mix to bring it to the best texture. After mixing the concrete and getting it to the proper consistency, pour it into the mold and allow it to harden for 24 hours before removing the finished product.
Ridding your basement of moisture is a wise investment in your home
What would it look like if your basement were to fill with an inch or so of water? Stopping a catastrophe is better than needing to clean one up, and waterproofing the basement is one of the wisest actions a property owner can make. There are various factors which are a part of finding the correct basement waterproofing technique for your residence. A first consideration in investigating home basement waterproofing alternatives will be looking closely at the type of problems you have in your basement. When building a new house the selection procedure will be less difficult since you are not trying to fix a problem but rather prevent one. When living in the part of the nation that experiences a lot of wetness it would be wise to install a few preventative measures, such as putting tar on the exterior walls, a pump and a drain. Two very popular techniques of basement waterproofing would be either a liquid membrane which is affixed to the inside of the home or a sheeting membrane secured to the outside of the wall. Of course there are waterproofing options offered for people with existing homes. Generally these solutions will be more difficult to apply than when the house was first built, but they are certainly not unworkable
When your home already has water leaking out you will need to locate the source of the problem and repair it prior to applying any type of basement waterproofing products. A proven method to test for wetness problems is to tape some aluminum foil to the wall of your basement and leave it there for a couple of days. If there is drops of water on the side of foil that has been facing the wall it indicates that you most likely have a leak. If you find moisture on the outside of the foil then you almost certainly have a problem with condensation. Many retail stores sell waterproofing paints which can be applied to the inside walls to help stop moisture from seeping in. Remember, leaks and cracks must be fixed using a basement waterproofing sealant, which is much more efficient than simply painting the wall. The simplest problem to correct in your basement will be condensation. You must first weatherproof all of the exposed pipes in your basement and then install a dehumidifier. Be sure that you purchase a dehumidifier which will be right for the size of the space
Using Sodium Bentonite clay is also a widespread way of waterproofing a basement. When applied correctly this product makes a waterproof seal that prevents any water from infiltrating your basement. In another type of waterproofing technique, cement and asphalt are mixed together, although this is much more expensive and complicated. Whichever sealant you pick must be placed into the holes and permitted to dry for the appropriate amount of time. Once it is dry there should be no more problems. There are advantages and disadvantages to any system of waterproofing your basement and you must look at your unique situation to determine which method is right for you.
Unable to locate the advice you want from the above articles? Perhaps the following Internet sites could be more appropriate. Need additional help with concrete forms for sale? In that case Buy Concrete Forms is the place to begin.
Am I wasting my money, or is there a benefit to putting radiant floor heat in the basement floor of my new house that I’m building? The basement floor is approx. 2 feet below the frost line.
I am interested in having an expensive ceramic floor installed in my kitchen, and am hooked on the idea of having radiant flooring installed. Has anyone had any experience with Thermosoft products? Does anyone have any general ‘buyer beware’ advice about the entire concept of radiant flooring?
We’re remodeling a house that has a rec room with a concrete slab floor. We do not want to have carpeting and I thought of installing a radiant heat system if that would be feasible. Or would we be better off with just using baseboard heaters? Thanks for your help.
We’re looking to build a new home and we’re contemplating having radiant floor heat installed throughout the property. Right now, the plan is for ~1500 sq ft, one story, probably with a crawl space in Northern California (not extreme temperatures).
What are the key things we should be taking into consideration as we design/cost the project?
What is the “best” source for the heat? Presumably, tankless water heaters (on-demand) are cheaper for overall hot water. Are they suited (if sized correctly) for this type of application too?
We just installed a radiant floor heating system and our plumber tells us that a regular thermostat is in fact more efficient than a programmable one, because it doesn’t have to use a lot of energy to get the water hot again. We installed a high efficient munchkin boiler. Thoughts?