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Home > Energy Efficiency Tips & Tools > Renovations > Your Basement
Your Basement
Finishing your basement? Read this first
Basement renovations are a popular way to add finished living space to
a home. Since a complete renovation requires many different skills, it
pays to hire competent licensed contractors or tradespeople for your job.
| Before you start |
- Be sure you follow your local building codes, the Ontario Electrical
Safety Code, bylaws and permit requirements.
- Inspect your foundation for any cracks, moisture, or water leakage
problems. These should be fixed before you do any interior work.
- Have a qualified electrician look at your panel and wiring to
determine what may be needed for your additional electrical requirements,
and make arrangements for an electrical
inspection.
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| Insulation |
- Check current levels of insulation. If there is little or no
insulation in place, or if current insulation is below recommended
levels, it pays to upgrade.
- Before you insulate, you should look at caulking
and weatherstripping. Check around any windows and doors,
and the sill plate (where your foundation meets the first floor
of the house).
- If your basement is below grade line, be sure to use proper
air/vapour barriers to prevent moisture from entering insulation.
- Recommended minimum insulation levels for foundation walls is
R19 in electrically heated homes.
- If you're building a sub-floor, consider insulating it too.
It will be more comfortable and energy efficient.
- Consider insulating your electric water tank. Also look at insulating
your hot water pipes, especially if you are closing in the ceiling.
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| Your electrical system |
- Have a licensed electrician check your electrical supply, panel
and wiring to determine what alterations or additions will be
required for your renovation. You may find you need a new panel
to accommodate the additional fixtures and outlets, especially
if you're planning to use a home entertainment unit, stereo system
and computers.
- When laying out your lighting plan, it's smart to group your
lights on a few circuits. You can waste energy by putting all
your lights on one switch.
- Look for light fixtures that can accommodate energy efficient
bulbs. Some energy efficient bulbs are a bit larger than conventional
incandescent bulbs.
- Have your electrical work inspected and approved before you
apply drywall or any wall coverings. An Inspector from the Electrical
Safety Authority will need to be able to see all of the wiring.
If it's covered up, you may have to remove it again.
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