The Importance of Basements

“Get underground! – There’s a tornado coming!” This recommendation seems logical, but what if there is no “underground” to access?

The town of Moore, Oklahoma was caught in the middle of a fierce EF5 tornado that ravaged the area on May 20^th, 2013. Area builders have estimated that only 10% to 15% of homes have some kind of basement or cellar. Many of the 85% to 90% of residents, who did not have sub terrain shelter on their property, believe that building such a dwelling or basement is too difficult or costly due to the area’s high groundwater levels and heavy clay soil.

While this may have been true in the past, concrete waterproofing technologies and methods have improved dramatically in recent years. Some, such as Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM), perform extremely well against high hydrostatic pressure, and remain within the concrete to waterproof effectively and permanently throughout the life of the structure.

Some other benefits include:

• Maximizing the value of your home
• Can be made into a partial or full suite to bring in some income, or expand with a growing family
• Sturdiness of below grade space makes it ideal for protection from intense storms
• Also provides easy maintenance access and protection for main electric lines, plumbing and ductwork

While the costs of adding a basement or cellar that is stormproof can range anywhere from $3000 to tens of thousands, the benefits can far outweigh the initial costs.