The Basement: Troubles and Treasures

The basement project is almost done. I will post the big reveal tomorrow. I am still taking photos and removing the last of the garbage.

Today, I thought I would share a short post about some of the treasures and the troubles that we found in the basement. The treasures were happy accidents, and identifying problems and issues in the basement that need repair or attention was one of the key objectives of the basement project.

BHH is in such remarkable shape for a 125-year-old house. I know I mention that a lot, but it is because I continue to be amazed and grateful. I have seen other old homes, and I have read plenty of old home horror stories. Blake Hill House survives because it was built well, and its previous owners cared deeply about preserving it.

During the clean-up portion of this project, I found a bit of light crumbling and flaking on the foundation and the brick. There was also some water seeping in at a few locations.

One of the main reasons for keeping a clean and neat basement is so problems can be identified before they become catastrophic. In a messy, dirty space, issues are hidden, and often the first sign of a problem for a homeowner is after it is much too late to prevent costly repairs or even a total loss. According to Google, the average cost for foundation repair is around $3000, but I am quite sure that the cost of jacking up a 4000-square-foot house for foundation repairs was a discarded outlier when that average was calculated.

Our foundation issues likely occurred because of moisture, temperature variances, the freeze and thaw cycle, and the fact that the house is 125 years old. For now, we will just keep an eye on it. The trouble spots are clean and accessible, and we should be able to see if things are crumbling rapidly or slowly or the moisture is getting worse. We will keep the dehumidifier going inside for climate control and next year, we will work on the grading and drainage around the foundation outside. There is nothing else that can be done about it right now, and the problem has not reached a state of urgency.

Next, in a dark corner, I found this spilled paint. What a mess. At first, I was quite worried about the clean-up.

Fortunately, it was latex paint, and all I had to do was peel it off the concrete.

Close to the paint spill, I discovered that the fireplace clean-out cover rusted until it fell off entirely.

There is no telling how old that ash is.

I swept up the mess, but I do not have a proper replacement cover yet. I would like to get it covered sooner vs. later, because the cool air will come up the chimney onto the first floor, and the opening creates easy access for critters.

Speaking of critters, I have caught so many mice over the past week that it nearly turns my stomach. We are also still sharing the space with a very elusive Eastern Chipmunk. He must be a chipmunk ninja. I have been trying to catch him for over a year. I keep setting the live trap, but he continues to evade capture.

I am a little concerned because this morning I checked the mousetraps, and two of them are gone. Sometimes, I find the traps empty, tripped and moved, but this morning two have completely vanished. I know that one of them had a mouse in it because I saw the mouse last night, but I did not have a chance to dispose of it and reset the trap. After some quick research, I was relieved to find out that Eastern Chipmunks are omnivores. That is a greater comfort than realizing that there is something carnivorous and higher on the food chain living in the basement. Cross your fingers that I can catch and relocate the furry little beast before it hibernates.

During clean up, I did find a few treasures. In the original post about the basement, I shared that we found a closet full of original storm windows and a beautiful marble sink. Further exploration revealed these:

I do not know if they can be used again, but I am very interested in trying sometime in the future. In addition to the windows and doors, I found an entire stash of original crown molding that we can use for any future repairs. I am so pleased that all of the previous owners thought to keep these items with the house.

In the cupboards, a few little odds and ends were left behind. Highlights include this little handbook and a handful of decorative decals.

The handbook is the manual for the exterior shingles on BHH. Based on the year of the manual, they may have been installed around 1960. I have not read the book yet, but I am interested in finding out more about them. The shingles are unlike any I have seen on the homes around here.

The decorative decals were all the rage in the mid-1900’s. People used them to decorate various items such as baby furniture and kitchen items. I do not plan to use any of these, but I will hang onto them for a little longer in case some sort of inspiration strikes.

::

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the final basement post in this series. The basement will be clean, organized and ready to reveal.

The Full Project:
Part I – The Basement
Part II – Sorting & Tossing
Part III – Troubles & Treasures
Part IV – Organized & Ready