DOs and DON'Ts room

[wyz]

Hi guys..

I'm investing quit a bit in my house in order to make some space to have a reptile room.

I'm taking my central heating system out and replacing with electric panels throughout the house. I'm gaining a huge space in my basement. So now I can have a reptile room :)

NOW !!!

For those of you who have allready built one...

Please tell me the DOs abd DON'Ts... you know.. the kind of thing that you did wrong and that you had to redo once everything was finished or things that you should have thought about...

Anything can help

Thanks.

WYZ

[Jeff Hathaway]

How about don't convert from central heat to separate electric heaters without carefully considering the cost, not only of the conversion, but long term operating costs.

Now that that's out of the way, if you do this:

Do make the room so that it can withstand high humidity. Instead of drywall, use greenboard or even better cement board if your budget can handle it. Paint with a high humidity, mildew resistant bathroom paint like Permawhite, or even better, an epoxy paint.

Do install a ventilation van.

Do waterproof your floor (if you're not on the bare concrete slab). Either use a single piece of good quality sheet vinyl, with plastic baseboard trim around the edges that is siliconed in place. Or, use one of the pour-on type floor coverings that cures into a solid layer.

Do add lots of electrical receptacles so that you don't need to have dozens of extension cords and power bars. Follow the electrical codes and get your work inspected, or hire an electrician if you can't do it yourself.

Do use a programmable thermostat for the temperature control for the room.

Any windows in the room? You might consider upgrading them if they aren't in good shape.

Do install a phone jack.

Do install a sink, or two. I like a regular double kitchen sink (with as much counter space as you can manage), plus a laundry tub, if you've got the space for it.

That's all I can think of right now.

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

[wyz]

For the heating conversion... it should cost a bit less to heat and the conversion itself costs about 3000$.. but I don't really have the choice, the way my basement is made the retreat of that system will give me about 14 x 16 extra space and enable me to put things where I need them to be. But I know what you mean, I need to calculate many things before going ahead with that change.

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As for the Dos and DON'ts

That's exactly the king of post I was hoping for.. thanks alot Jeff !
Many things I would not of thought of...

people....Keep em coming.

WYZ

[Syst3m]

Hmm, I agree with Jeff on this one, electiric heat is not efficient or cost effective.

I'm just going to run down what our cost savings was in going from electric heat to a central heating system. This doesn't refect what you will and wont be saving, and all terms are in US dollars too.

Our average electric bill in the winter to keeping our house at 70f in every used room of the house, (this does not include heating the basement or upstairs) in the winter time was about $300 USD a month. On average our gas bill in the winter time was about $45 USD a month. Only our dryer and water heater were gas.

The home is about 1200 square foot, and we went with a furnace that was about 2x larger then the home needed, we spent about 2200 on a Central air/heating system that we got at a great price.

The following winter wich was not only longer but a hell of a lot colder, our average Electric bill was $70USD a month and our gas bill was an average of $110USD a month.

On average the change to a central heating system saved us over 150 dollars a month on utilities in a 1200 square foot house.

The cost of changing over was nothing compared to the cost of savings that we already have gained now. In 3 years with the change over has already paid for the change over in just winter month utilties and not calculated the money saved from the more efficient central air conditioning.


I know these numbers don't relate to you directly, but I thought it might help a bit.