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  • COMMAIK
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  • The Villa
    • The top floor
    • The upper floor
    • The first floor
    • The cellar
    • The garden
  • Stories from the construction
    • irrigation
    • Photovoltaics
    • Pool and terrace
    • SmartHome
    • The planning
    • The demolition
    • The installation
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    • Restoration and working techniques
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  • Videos
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  • Draining and waterproofing basements: Effective measures against moisture and flooding

    A worn, empty concrete pit with rusty beams, exposed pipes, and draining buckets—one orange and one green—sits against stained, aged walls in a dimly lit basement-like area. www.commaik.de

    Draining my cellar was a lengthy and challenging project that I implemented using various methods to permanently combat damp and mold. From waterproofing with injection methods to installing a pump sump and retrofitting a horizontal barrier – I share my experiences, the challenges and how the measures have proven themselves even under extreme weather conditions. Draining and waterproofing basements: In this blog post, I describe how homeowners can effectively combat moisture and mold to create a dry and healthy basement. Draining a damp cellar was an important step for me to preserve the building fabric and prevent mold growth. In this article, I’ll shed some light on the measures I…

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    Diagram showing two triangular fields of view in front of a house at night from a reolink Wi-Fi security camera: one labeled 180° Sichtfeld (larger area) and the other 100° Sichtfeld (smaller area). A person walks by. www.commaik.de

    180° surveillance test: These 4 Reolink cameras secure your home seamlessly

    4. May 2025
    Graphic featuring multiple Reolink security cameras and a video recorder on a gray background, with “Reolink Firmware Update?!” highlighted in bold text at the center. www.commaik.de

    Update Reolink firmware quickly and safely: Step-by-step guide for cameras and NVRs

    7. February 2025
    A person stands on a rooftop with solar panels and a balcony power plant, pointing toward a graphic showing a Zendure SuperBase energy storage unit. A modern house and trees are visible in the background. www.commaik.de

    Optimize balcony power plant – New modules and 220V battery storage for maximum efficiency

    26. July 2024
  • Draining the cellar – 1 year later

    In a damp cellar, plastic containers are inserted into holes at the base of a brick wall to dry out the room. A red dehumidifier and various appliances can be seen in the background. www.commaik.de

    I have been working on draining the cellar for a good 2 years. In addition to repairs to the pipe system, ventilation concepts, dehumidifiers, dryers and a pump shaft in the cellar, I also installed a subsequent horizontal barrier with a masonry injection. It is now time for a review and a summary of the individual measures.

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    Close-up of two wire connectors and a cut green boundary wire on grass, with wire cutters and a plier nearby; white stones are visible in the background. www.commaik.de

    Repairing broken wires: Finding and repairing the boundary wire for robotic lawnmowers

    23. November 2024
    A yellow excavator is digging earth along a muddy construction site, creating a steep dirt slope next to trees and residential buildings, where gabion baskets may soon be installed for added slope stability. www.commaik.de

    Securing the slope with gabions – preparing the ground with the excavator

    25. April 2020
    Exposed wooden beams and metal pipes of a building under construction or renovation, with a partially demolished wall near the future terrace and scattered debris on the ground. Sunlight casts shadows across the scene. www.commaik.de

    Building a new pool – dismantling BPC decking and pool technology

    12. March 2021
  • Dry out the cellar yourself – infrared heating is used

    Plastic bottles attached to a pipe run along a brick wall in a basement or garage, probably part of a drainage system. Nearby is an easel or a whiteboard on blocks with several cables hanging above it. The floor is made of concrete. www.commaik.de

    In order to make the basement rooms of our over 100-year-old city villa usable, I first have to dry them out. The house is partially built into the slope. On the east side the basement floor is at ground level and on the west side about 200 cm below ground level. I have already used various methods for draining. I am currently creating a new watertight horizontal barrier in the masonry using chemical agents such as injection liquid, injection sticks and injection cream. I have already drained the eastern part of the cellar. Now it is the turn of the western part of the building. This time I let my…

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    A compact kitchen countertop with a black round washbasin, black faucet, sponge, dish soap, stainless steel electric kettle, and a Bosch dishwasher below, set against a gray textured wall with two power outlets. www.commaik.de

    Install granite washbasin with tap yourself

    3. February 2020
    Three drainage pipes—one black and two orange—are embedded in gravel and surrounded by soil in a trench, highlighting ongoing drainage or construction work. www.commaik.de

    Drainage of the house – installation of drainage and water pipes.

    13. September 2014
    An inflatable, square whirlpool filled with bubbling water stands in the interior next to a window and a wooden wall with the MSpa brand on the front. www.commaik.de

    MSpa whirlpool for the sauna in the test

    20. December 2020
  • New submersible pump defective – draining the cellar

    A red pump, an orange bucket, two plastic bottles and a hose stand in front of a rough, stained concrete wall with visible drops of water and pipes. www.commaik.de

    Two months ago I built a sump pit with a sump pump in my cellar to collect the water seeping into it and further dry out my cellar. A submersible pump with an integrated float switch should then pump the water out via a hose. Unfortunately, things turned out quite differently. The new submersible pump in the pump sump was defective after just a few weeks. Read this article to find out why the pump was destroyed and how the draining process continued.

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    A terraced outdoor area features brick stair steps leading to a paved landing, bordered by gabion walls filled with firewood. Stacks of construction materials and lush green plants are visible nearby. www.commaik.de

    A paving stone staircase is built into the slope leading to the parking lot

    19. October 2014
    3D floor plan of a rectangular room with grey walls, labeled dimensions, a curved front wall, built-in shelves on the left, and a person standing outside for scale. The approximately 6x4 meter room could easily fit a small indoor pool. www.commaik.de

    Plan your own pool and create a 3D floor plan

    25. May 2021
    A gloved hand holds a white stick near a moldy wall. On the wooden floor, a silver packet labeled NOVUstick für nachträgliche Horizontalsperren contains 10 sticks for creating an effective horizontal barrier and improving drainage. www.commaik.de

    Drainage – retrofitting a horizontal barrier yourself

    24. January 2024
  • Drying basement – pump sump | build septic tank yourself

    A photo showing construction tools and materials: two yellow buckets with gravel, an orange bucket, a red pump sump for drainage, a circular saw blade, a power drill, and a spirit level, all placed on a rough concrete floor. www.commaik.de

    I built a sump pump at the lowest point of my house to help drain my cellar in the long term. The water is collected there and pumped out automatically. In this article, I describe how I built the soakaway and what I had to pay particular attention to. I go into the advantages and disadvantages of this method of draining the cellar and of course also write about whether this method works. Drying out the basement of my 120 year old house has been going on for 12 months now. In the interior, I have previously used the injection method to dry out. The areas above the barrier layer…

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    Three drainage pipes—one black and two orange—are embedded in gravel and surrounded by soil in a trench, highlighting ongoing drainage or construction work. www.commaik.de

    Drainage of the house – installation of drainage and water pipes.

    13. September 2014
    A man holds a roll of infrared heating foil. An arrow points to a thermal image revealing heat distribution on the floor. The words Infrarot Heizfolie are displayed above. www.commaik.de

    Efficient heating with infrared heating foil: installation, experience and tips for electric wall heating

    11. February 2025
    In a damp cellar, plastic containers are inserted into holes at the base of a brick wall to dry out the room. A red dehumidifier and various appliances can be seen in the background. www.commaik.de

    Draining the cellar – 1 year later

    31. December 2021

Autor & Blogger

In this construction diary, we share our experience in the renovation and modernization of our Art Nouveau villa and hope to give a few suggestions and tips to some of you.

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