How To Turn Your Basement Into a Functional Room With HVACs
Home renovations take time and effort, especially if you don’t plan the project out first. Many homeowners want to convert their basements into functional spaces, but the climate simply isn’t adequate.
Transforming a room with improved heating and cooling will allow you to enjoy your home thoroughly. Here’s how to turn your basement into a functional room with HVACs.
Look Over the Space
When renovating your basement, the first step is to look over the space and get an idea of what you want to do. You’re only limited by the amount of square footage and ceiling height available. However, you’ll also want to check the structural integrity of the space and ensure there are no obstructions.
If your basement is dirty, infested with bugs, or growing mold and mildew, you’ll want to take care of those issues before starting construction. Move everything out of the space while you’re at it to get a clear picture of what you’re working with.
Generate Ideas
Once your basement has been cleared out and cleaned, it’s time to start generating ideas for your renovation project. Consider how many rooms you want, what you’ll use them for, and what you’ll put in them. This will give you an idea of how you should run your utility lines.
No matter what you plan on using the space for, knowing what you need before getting started is essential. Basements are often used for family rooms, bedrooms, and even bars. The renovation costs can get pretty expensive if you don’t have a solid plan and budget in place.
Create a Floorplan
After you’ve come up with a few ideas, you can create a floor plan. A good floor plan will allow you to visualize how to divide the space and how people will move through it. Having a well-thought-out draft will help you keep things on track and make the most of your resources.
Your floor plan should provide a top-down view of the space that fits to scale. Include everything from walls, windows, doors, and stairwells to give you an idea of how the space will turn out. You can use symbols to represent essential features and appliances, such as a fireplace or hot tub.
Divide Into Zones
With a floor plan in place, you can begin to consider how the different rooms will be zoned. If you want your HVAC system to run as efficiently as possible, you’ll need to consider how the airflow heats or cools each room. Creating zones will allow you to limit energy waste and improve the comfort level of occupants.
Zoning allows you to control the temperature of each room individually. Consider how the ductwork will run throughout the space to ensure your basement stays at the right temperature. However, you’ll need to account for unique architectural details, airflow ratios, and openings between different rooms to get it just right.
Decide Where To Place Utilities
Now that you’ve decided on your basement’s zoning, it’s time to determine which utilities go where. Take note of where power, water, and exhaust vents must go to ensure everything fits into the space. Your laundry, water heaters, and HVAC system should all be accessible to users and maintenance workers.
The best location for your utilities depends on the space and how it’s divided up. Consider where utilities are installed and how to alter them for your needs. You can invest in a hidden ducted mini split to create distinctive sub-zones that can be heated or cooled as needed.
Install Flooring
The flooring is the next thing to focus on after deciding where your utilities go. The wrong flooring will make your basement feel less comfortable and more challenging to keep clean. It directly influences your visual experience and affects the overall efficiency of the space.
The type of flooring you choose will ultimately depend on your needs and sense of aesthetics. Some of the most popular types of materials are cement, carpet, laminate, vinyl, and cork. However, if you don’t take good care of your flooring, it will be detrimental to the quality of the space.
Add Lighting
Adding lighting to your basement will make it more functional. You’ll be able to see better and appreciate the details of the space’s design. Light has a profound effect on your mental state and behavior. It helps to regulate sleep, improves concentration, and promotes a cozy atmosphere for relaxation.
Consider where you want your focal points and add fixtures where necessary. You can layer lighting and add dimmers to create a specific mood. Learn about soft and hard light so you can get lightbulbs that create the atmosphere you’re going for.
Pick a Color Scheme
Your choice of color will profoundly influence the overall feel of your basement. Color saturation is essential in interior design, making a space feel large and open or small and closed in. The aesthetics of the space will largely depend on whether you use brighter or darker hues.
Warm colors, such as red, yellow, and orange, will give occupants more energy, while cooler colors, such as green, blue, and purple, will create a sense of relaxation. Focus on your overall goals and what you intend to use the space for so you can decide which colors are best.
Decorate the Space
With everything else in place, it’s time to put the final touches on your basement. All the walls are probably bare at this point, and you only have the most functional items in the space. This is your chance to add some personalization to make yourself feel more at home.
A movie or cinematic theme might be best if you’re using the basement as a living room. A bar or lounge might need some vintage posters or dark lampshades. If you’re using the space for a room, you should set it up to make the occupant feel as comfortable as possible.
Start Renovating Your Basement Today
It’s nice to have some extra space in your home. If you’ve got a basement with enough space, transforming it into something more useful might be just the ticket.
Turning your basement into a functional room with HVACs is the perfect project for those who want a comfortable, efficient space to spend time in.
