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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
    • Machinery
    • Restoration and working techniques
    • This and that
  • 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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    6 steps to perfect pool water after the winter break

    14. February 2025
    A person in dark clothing stands by a white counter, holding a metal tube and a small rectangular device. Behind the counter is a white and black parking heater machine labeled Motour with various attachments and a red button. www.commaik.de

    Heating optimization: How to make your diesel parking heater quieter – pump and silencer in the test

    20. December 2025
    Close-up of a partially constructed wooden deck, ideal for a garden terrace renovation, with a drill, screws, hammer, and metal brackets on top of the decking boards; metal framing and groundwork visible underneath. www.commaik.de

    Renovating the garden terrace: switching from wood to WPC and aluminum profiles

    17. March 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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    A gabion retaining wall made of wire baskets filled with stones provides effective slope stabilization on a gravel-covered courtyard. Trimmed shrubs and small plants thrive behind the wall, framed by a wooden fence in the background. www.commaik.de

    Removing and extending a gabion wall on a slope

    15. November 2020
    A garden kitchen area with unfinished wooden walls and built-in stainless steel cabinets, drawers, and doors set against a concrete floor and countertop. www.commaik.de

    Build your own outdoor garden kitchen: Installing stainless steel BBQ furniture

    15. August 2024
    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
  • 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 stylish party room with black walls, a tan floor, and a wood-burning stove with firewood storage. A partial wooden divider with a large window opening separates the space from the cellar-style utility area in the background. www.commaik.de

    Build your own party room in the basement

    14. March 2014
    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
    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
  • 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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    Three lawn mowers and a bag of lawn fertilizer lie on green grass next to a green area with white stones and a small palm tree. www.commaik.de

    Perfect winterizing of lawn and irrigation system

    11. November 2020
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    Build your own garden kitchen – worktop and jamb for the outdoor kitchen

    20. May 2024
    Modern garden kitchen with a wooden roof, barbecue grill, counters, and bar area illuminated by soft yellow and purple LED lights, set against a twilight sky for an inviting light-filled outdoor retreat. www.commaik.de

    Designing a smart and efficient garden kitchen – installing lights, sockets and water connections

    5. April 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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    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 and waterproofing basements: Effective measures against moisture and flooding

    24. November 2024
    A close-up of a black plastic pipe connected to a rusted metal fitting, surrounded by wet, muddy soil and remnants of an old clay pipe—evidence of recent underground plumbing or pipe repair work. www.commaik.de

    A new HT drain is tied into the old clay pipe

    2. January 2018
    A man stands next to a mounted parking heater system with large pipes, wires, and controls—perfect for any workshop. Large text above reads, Diesel Heizung für die Werkstatt (Diesel heater for the workshop). www.commaik.de

    Install 8kW diesel parking heater safely in the workshop & garage

    9. May 2025

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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