There are plenty of uses for a finished basement. In the following we present a few good suggestions. One of the most popular uses for a finished basement is to install a game room. This space could be used as a family-friendly atmosphere complete with pool table, foosball table, ping-pong, and even arcade and video game systems. If a game room is something you want in your home, its best to put it in the basement, as it can get noisy. Another option would be to set up a home office in your finished basement. This way you can get a private space separate from the general living environment to do your work. Finished basements can be converted to an apartment space. Having this separate area makes guests extra comfortable and allow for minimal disruptions for family members. Another possible use of your basement space is to convert it into a bar. This is a great place to entertain guests. Themes can applied to liven up the space, with an Irish pub, a sports bar, or a trendy night club as just a few ideas.

Concrete, like other construction materials, expands and contracts with moisture and temperature changes. These changes produce cracks in hardened concrete unless they are properly controlled. Making provisions for this problem, such as installing concrete control joints, prevents a concentration of crack-producing stress forces. Control joints eliminate unsightly random surface cracks from forming by gathering, distributing, and dissipating forces resulting from temperature and moisture variations. Mar-flex’s Control Joint System is designed to ensure optimum protection, with a watertight outside control joint which is created when filled with Mar-flex’s Waterstop Elastomeric Sealant and protected by Mar-flex Fiberglass Fabric Reinforcement. Basements require foundation walls that are watertight and waterproofed. The Mar-flex Control Joint System provides an economical, easy to use system for eliminating these cracks which are unavoidable, uncontrollable, unsightly, and will leak water if not properly planned for ahead of time.

Do you utilize a small sump pump to keep moisture from saturating your basement? The size is not the determining factor when purchasing or replacing a sump pump, there are many models on the market, from simple and compact to larger with many features. Sump pumps are designed to keep water off the basement floor. When choosing a sump pump make sure to account for how many gallons per hour you will need the pump to flow in order to move the water efficiently. A standard 110 volt pump will work for most homes. No matter the conditions, a pump that can push 3,000 gallons per hour is big enough for homes.

Our customers already know that Mar-flex manufactures the highest quality, most reliable, and longest lasting waterproofing in the industry. Did you know Mar-flex also manufactures several different types of egress window wells. Mar-flex’s Stonewells basement window wells are fitted with a simulated rock texture that looks and feels like real stone at a fraction of that cost. While the built-in-steps provide an easy egress in case of a real life emergency. Mar-flex offers RhinoWells Egress Window Wells which feature a built-in stair design, and add plenty of extra light to any below grade living space. All Mar-Flex egress window wells are built with UV inhibitors and is resistant to weather conditions like freezing and thawing. Choose Mar-flex when you need unique and high quality window wells for your basement.

When you find cracks in the walls of your basement, it is because structures settle over time, causing overload. This overloaded weight causes cracks to form in the walls. When you find these cracks, it is imperative to repair them quickly, as these cracks will expand and demand an extremely expensive structural repair solution. Luckily, Mar-flex offers crack repair through epoxy injection. Crack injection has been an accepted method of repairing foundation cracks for years, mostly because its cost-effective, reliable, and permanent. Mar-flex offers many concrete repair products, these are made from epoxy making them superior to other crack injection products because epoxy adheres to concrete, allowing for further expansion and contraction. Epoxy also stops water from eroding concrete any further, and maintains the seal.

So you have successfully dampproofed your basement, but you now face another question, how long until it needs to be done again. In most cases, you should be able to measure the time in between dampproofing in years, with the average being about 10 years. If your home is built on earth that is often saturated in water, such as marshy areas, your dampproofing won’t last nearly as long. There’s little to counteract this besides dampproof every fall before the wetter seasons arrive. Also, the more comprehensive and professional your approach to dampproofing is, the longer it will last. If you’ve only done the basics to protect your basement, expect to dampproof often.

Mar-flex Waterproofing and Building Products is committed to further educating our nation’s architects, engineers, and contractors through continuing education coursework. Our comprehensive course on sustainable design has already been released and has been reviewed by such reputable institutions as NASA, the FAA, and the US Green Building Council. Our coursework is free online and Mar-flex is committed to developing several more courses to help educate the industry as a whole. Our next course is an introduction to Green Building Methods and Design and contains information about material usage, building procedure, codes and specs, and much more. Stay tuned for more coursework and make sure your company joins the amassing list of groups who have taken our courses.

Thanks to our other Twips, you know how to properly maintain and even troubleshoot your sump pumps. Have you taken into consideration where all that water goes? Most people just stick the outgoing pipe outside of the structure and allow the water to seep into the ground. Thanks to new awareness about environmental hazards, sump pump owners now have the responsibility of assuring the drained water pumps into a suitable place. The outgoing pipe is usually fitted with a weather-proof tube on the end. The tube is flexible, which means it can be bent to maneuver around objects in order to get the end away from your foundation. The end point of the hose should be located at least 10 feet away from the foundation of the house, preferably 20 feet away. If it isn’t at least this far away, the soil will reabsorb the water and it will seep back into your basement, requiring your sump pump to constantly pump. This constant flow of water will degrade the structural integrity of your foundation, and contributes to erosion. The location water drains to is important, you should choose a location not near your septic tank. If you experience moist conditions, your septic tank is already overloaded with water and doesn’t need more. Also, make sure not to drain your sump pump into a sewer, as this causes flooding. Its also against many city ordinances to dump sump pump drainage in city sewer systems. Draining the water into your neighbor’s lot is also not a good idea, as it is against the law, and is discourteous. Finally, make sure the tubing is securely attached to the PVC pipe, if not the water will leak out and be reabsorbed.

Mar-flex Waterproofing and Building Products reveals a new way to choose which waterproofing products are most functional for your next job. Mar-flex Waterproofing Systems are all-in-one solutions with a warranty that makes choosing new waterproofing materials simple. Waterproofing systems are essential on any structure as water seeps into foundations causing cracks and structural damage, and only proper waterproofing can protect from this. Mar-flex offers a three-step system that allows customers to mix and match board and membrane combinations for the perfect fit. First, customers choose a waterproofing membrane that seals the basement or foundation wall. Then, a high quality, highly functional drainage board solution is applied that protects the membrane coating, all the while allowing for water to be channeled away from the foundation of a structure. Finally, a drainage system is put in place to collect excess water. This comprehensive three-step system eliminates water’s ability to penetrate the foundation walls of a structure, which causes devastating damage and requires costly repairs.

Mar-flex Waterproofing and Building Products is known for its commitment to quality products at affordable prices and the some of the best support in the industry. Continuing with this reputation for innovation and reliability, Mar-flex introduces QuickSeal, an affordable upgrade from entry level waterproofing. QuickSeal is a modified polymer emulsion membrane that can be applied to any poured foundation wall. The years spent on researching this product have produced a special formulation that bonds a seal to the wall, preventing water form seeping through. When you need affordable products at unbeatable prices and quality, choose Mar-flex Waterproofing Systems.