Many people who live in older houses spend a lot of time and money on making their cellar beautiful, as they like to have the space as an indoor-outdoor room. However, if the house needs major repairs, there is discussion on whether it would be more cost efficient for them to simply tear down their cellar and build a new one than spend days and weeks fixing the old one.
However, for those who are wowed by a cellar, or find it to be a great room/area, you might wonder: can you really ‘tank’ your cellar?
Can You Really “Tank” Your Cellar?
You can ‘tank’ your cellar by getting a new foundation.
The only way to do cellar tanking is to get permission from the local building inspector, because no matter how much you think it might be worth, if the house isn’t sound there will be no way of fixing it without facing significant costs.
If that doesn’t scare you off, then consider a few important points about cellars. The area below that type of floor is simply called the “cellar”. The most popular place to put your stuff is in the cellar.
For those who worked hard to build their house, and are still paying off their mortgage, a cellar’s appeal can’t be beat. The ability of a cellar to become an attractive area for people to gather and have events is another reason why it’s important to make sure it’s safe and sound.
Think about how you feel when you’re in a cellar. A wood or concrete floor might be your first clue as well as the problems it may cause. Cracks in the walls, falling plaster, and caving plaster are examples of things that can ruin an exterior cellar.
Walls that are dry rot may not only make you think about walls falling, but show you how the entire cellar floor plan can be affected by a weak area. The same goes for any type of water in the cellar.
Concrete basements seem to be the most popular choice for people who love their cellars, or who don’t know what else to do with them. What seems to make concrete ideal for cellars is that it’s sturdy, yet easy to repair.