10 Important Things To Consider Before Starting On Your Finished Basement

The sole idea of adding extra living square feet to our homes is exciting! We begin thinking about the many ways we will use it. It could be for a personal gym, for a man´s or woman´s cave, for a playroom, for a business purpose, for a separate rental unit, provide extra room for guests or growing family, or give some independence to your teens or young adult kids.

Once you have the idea of finishing your basement, you probably start imagining how it will look like, and how you will do it. That ´s so encouraging! Nothing better than having a family-shared goal. Moreover, if all family members will somehow contribute to the remodelling, it is even more stimulating.

Simple basement finishes can be a DIY project, and there are fantastic low-cost ideas that will help you achieve. Nevertheless, before embracing this adventure, some practical aspects need to be addressed to do so; and which you probably didn´t think about in the midst of all the excitement. Consider the following aspects, for some of them you may require professional help:

1. Check if you need any permits from your local municipality. This is mostly relevant when electrical, and plumbing changes will be may. They might require inspection and approval.

2. Check for humidity. Before doing anything, ensure yourself there are no water issues, such as pools of water or drips that come through the below-grade walls.

3. Check the outside to verify the ground is not affecting your foundation

4. Find if there are any cracks in your foundation´s wall that need to be repaired.

5. Even if you took care of moisture, basements tend to become damp. Think of adding a vapour barrier to floors and walls before framing and finishing such surfaces.

6. Basement floors and walls are usually built with masonry, block, cement or bricks. Check that, you will most likely need a fastener and anchors for your wall type, or a regular nail or screw won´t cut it when trying to attach the framing.

7. Even with a vapour barrier, it is suggested to add thin slats of metal or wood to the wall. These strips will create a slight offset from the external wall and will also contribute to level out a wall so to create a flat surface, adequate for posterior framing addition.

8. Don´t neglect insulation. It will not only control the temperature of the basement but also work as a further moisture control. You can also opt from the easiest spray foam insulation. Find out if there are any local code requirements for it.

9. Consider using suspending ceiling, such as removable tiles. These will provide easy access to plumbing and electrical lines if needed.

10. There’s some utility space you should better keep unfinished, such as where water heaters are.

We mentioned just the main things that shall be paid attention to before initiating any remodelling process on a basement. Of course, depending on your property´s condition, some of them may not be necessary while there might be other issues to solve before starting to work on your dream finished basement! 

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5 Benefits of Stomach Massage for Weight Loss and Metabolism

Massages are generally really helpful in many, many ways. I’ve been a regular receiver of massage chair therapy for many years now. So recently I came across some research showing how massaging specific areas of your body is beneficial to the health and wellness of that specific area of the body.

Whereas massages are generally known for anxiety and stress relief, I noticed some effects of an abdominal massage, showing how it’s great for weight loss and better metabolism.

The great thing about a muscle massage is that you don’t need to go to an expensive massage parlor for it; you can easily do it by yourself. Since half of our world is obsessed with finding shortcuts and catalysts for weight loss and metabolism, I decided to do my own research and add my two cents to this by showing how truly a stomach massage can help.

Optimize Your Internal Organs

The masseuse will work on your abdomen in a way that will increase the flow of blood to your digestive organs. Greater blood flow to your organs also increases the amount of oxygen that your organs receive.

The tension in the tissues around your organs is also released. This helps your organs work to their fullest potential. Healthier and optimized organs ensure that your metabolism is above-par as well.

Quick, Effective Digestion

Since many centuries now, people have been using an abdominal massage to improve their digestive capabilities.

Simply ask your masseuse to apply slight, relieving pressure on your stomach area in a clockwise manner. You can even do this by yourself or ask a friend or a sibling to help you out.

This will help the food to move smoothly through your digestive tract and be digested quicker. It will also allow feces to pass by easily through your colon and you won’t have to worry about being constipated.

No More Bloating

When our digestion or metabolism is hindered in some way and not being worked smoothly, toxins and waste products start to build up in our body. This causes us to feel bloated.

An abdominal massage can help remove these waste products from your path and you can enjoy much faster metabolism than before.

Stimulate Weight Loss

Stomach massages are great for stimulating weight loss as well. This is more of an indirect advantage because when your digestion becomes effective, your organs work more efficiently, and your metabolism becomes faster, you naturally start to lose weight faster than before.

This does not mean that you forego your diet and exercise routine, but a good stomach massage will really help you out in making your workout and diet routine work faster.

Increase Muscle Mass

The motion that your masseuse massages your stomach in is really good for building up muscle mass. Increased muscle mass also helps a lot in increasing your base metabolism. Also, muscle mass is a lot denser and leaner than fat so naturally, you lose belly fat as well.

About the Author:

Sara is a psychologist by profession, and she loves massage therapies. She enjoys home-based work and traveling. She is obsessed with massage chair therapies and other relaxing techniques. She recently published a post on the great Yoga blogs.

 

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How to DIY Repair Your Espresso Machine

Espresso machine repair can sometimes be a costly expense.  Depending on the machine and when it was manufactured, it may also be difficult.  But for most machines checking a few simple things can save you a lot of money.  More and more people are getting these wonderful machines and putting them in their homes, saving time and money.  Why wait in line at a big-name coffee shop to drop almost $10 on a hot mug of espresso when you can do it in the comfort of your own home, in your underwear?  OK, maybe it’s just me doing that last part!  Now you can be confident in doing a few simple repairs to keep the cream flowing.

Water Not Flowing?

Espresso machines vary, but some come with pumps for the water which you must prime first.  Always make sure to prime the pump first.  To do this open the steam valve and let it run for about 30 seconds.  Additionally, if your espresso machine has a removeable water reservoir, make sure you check its valve and that it is placed appropriately inside the machine.  A clog is another common ailment affecting espresso machines.  Making sure you do so according to your manufacturers specifications, you may remove the group head and soak it in hot water to remove excess buildup.  Make sure to wipe it clean before placing it back in the machine.  Also make sure that you are using good, filtered water in your machine.  Tap water can cause serious buildup issues in espresso machines and even corrode it.  You can easily buy a home water filter and pour into your machine directly from that tap with it installed.

Proper Cleaning Can Do Wonders

Espresso machines often have quite a few parts that require cleaning to make sure that you are producing a decent shot of espresso.  The seam wand should be cleaned often.  Do this by putting the steam wand into a cup of water and opening its valve.  After 15-30 seconds, close the valve and remove the cup, wiping the end of the steam wand with a sponge or slightly damp cleaning rag.  Also make sure to remove the basket assembly in your machine and turn it on to run water through the group head after every few brews.  This is called back flushing and is very important for home espresso machines.  Since commercial machines are used often they do not require this as much, but because at home you usually only brew a few coffees in the morning and it sits unused until the next day, you need to perform this maintenance task.

Now Enjoy a Cup!

Now that you’ve cleared that clog and primed that pump, sit back and enjoy a cup.  You know have the knowledge to keep that espresso machine brewing good cups for a while!

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Why Getting Quality Tennis Court Resurfacing Service Is Important

Tennis court resurfacing is one of the most important maintenance processes that you can do on your tennis court. This is because it not only makes the court safe to play on but also, has the ability to improve players experience in the game. A resurfaced tennis court is also very important in maintaining lines, bouncing the ball and making the player feel confident when playing. Therefore, it is important to do a tennis court resurfacing so as to not only improve the game, but also, make it easier for the player to play.

Below, we look at the reasons why tennis court resurfacing is important.

Player’s safety

Tennis courts are made f many different materials. Concrete in particular is a material that is common n many tennis courts. Unfortunately, this material develops cracks after being exposed to the elements for a considerable period of time. These cracks can however become very dangerous for players because they can cause them to trip and fall while playing. Luckily, doing a tennis court resurfacing will save you from all this since the process will make the court even and smooth. As a result, players will continue to play without the risk of falling and getting injured.

Clean environment

Tennis is a game that should be played in a clean environment. This applies both the court and the surrounding areas. To ensure that both players have a fair shot in the game, the court should have clear markings that can easily be seen form both directions. As a result of this, players would be able to engage in the game without much trouble or difficulties. In this context therefore, a tennis court resurfacing procedure is very important. A resurfacing with the right material is going to ensure that your court is clean and welcoming.

The expected standard

Tennis court resurfacing is also important for it enables a tennis court to meet the international standards. There is a standard that all tennis courts around the world are expected to meet and when you regularly do the resurfacing, you are able to meet this standard. Standard is important especially for courts that hold competitions. This is because such courts should meet the strict conditions laid out by the international tennis federation. In fact, the federation officials inspect all tennis courts that are used to hold competitions around the world. This is to ensure that they meet their strict regulations.

Long term service

Although many people do not know this, maintaining a tennis court is way too affordable than constructing a new one. That is why it is important to maintain your court to its original condition since this will enable it to serve you for a longer time. Furthermore, it protects your investment in the court. Since you spent a lot of money to construct your court, you may want it to remain in good condition and a resurfacing will ensure that.

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