Hi, If you want to expand your basement into a living space someday, don't forget to check for Radon. That is an invisible gas that can cause lung cancer Home Depot, Lowe's and probably hardware stores carry the test kits. Basically you open the kit and leave it in the area being tested for up to 72 hours, then send off to a la to be analyzed. If you have radon, one of the best ways to get rid of it is to have a ventilation system added to the basement. That will help with the 'basement' smell as well.
Good luck. Nancyb ----- Original Message ----- From: Bob Kennedy To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 8:28 AM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Basement Questions? When I want to get rid of cob webs and spider webs even in a crawl space I use the exhaust from my shop vac. If you don't have one, a broom is about all that is left. To get rid of spiders the easiest way is to have a pest control agency come to your house. I don't contract much out so I have one of those pump up sprayers. There are several different mixes you can put in the sprayer for different types of pests. The people at your local Lowes or Home Depot can help with what you need. Mix the correct amounts in the sprayer and have fun. I wouldn't do much overhead spraying but be sure to hit the walls and floor near the walls. To get rid of the basement smell you'll probably need to do some cleaning first. Mold and mildew is the biggest cause of the basement smells. If you have that pump up sprayer you can make a mixture of bleach and water and spray that around. Most of the mold and mildew will be on the floor, the area that gets the most moisture. If moisture is a problem a dehumidifier might be necessary. One of these will help to cut down on future mold and mildew growth. I'm sure other ideas will be along shortly. ----- Original Message ----- From: Claudia To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 8:13 AM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Basement Questions? Hi All, We have an unfinished basement in our home, and of course, there are a lot of spider webs and spiders down there. What can we do to help lessen or eliminate this problem? And, are there things out there we can use, to lessen the smell of moisture, humidity or dampness? Eventually, we'd like to finish the basement, but will it still smell like a basement, if you know what I mean, once it's completed? Thanks. Claudia Join either of my groups; the first is for visually-impaired women, while the other is for people wishing to discuss homemaking issues. [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
