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  • COMMAIK
    • Contact Form
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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
    • Build & Renovate
    • Irrigation
    • Carport
    • Gabions
    • Garden
    • Garden kitchen
    • Pool
    • Smart Home
    • Drying
    • Tutorials
  • TESTED & RATED
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  • Drainage – retrofitting a horizontal barrier yourself

    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

    In addition to draining the outside of my villa, which was built in 1900, some of the basement walls also need to be sealed from the inside. The horizontal barrier in the 36 to 80 centimeter thick walls is no longer in tact. This time I dared to install a retrofit horizon blocker and used the NovuSticks for this. Here I describe my approach and my experiences.

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    Open trench in a paved area with exposed cables, pipes, and a water pipe in the garden, surrounded by loose soil, bricks, and paving stones—signs of ongoing underground utility or lawn irrigation work. www.commaik.de

    Laying the water pipe in the garden: tips for connecting the water supply to the garden irrigation system

    10. March 2025
    Modern garden kitchen with a built-in grill, stovetop, drawers, and cabinets against a textured gray concrete look wall. Dark countertops and light concrete floors complete the style. A lantern and small appliances sit on the counter. www.commaik.de

    Designing a garden kitchen with a concrete look: Instructions for robust walls in the outdoor kitchen

    25. October 2024
    An Anthbot Genie robot mower with a white and gray body rides on a green lawn near a stone house and a rock wall in a landscaped yard, showcasing its versatile purpose. www.commaik.de

    Anthbot Genie robotic lawnmower in test: Perfect lawn mowing without cables?

    25. April 2025
  • 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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    Close-up of a Rain Bird mechanical irrigation control box with exposed cables, pipes, valves and connections, surrounded by gravel. The sunlight illuminates the area and highlights the various electrical and sanitary components. www.commaik.de

    Lawn Irrigation – Connect 4 Rain Bird Valves to Hunter X-Core Computer

    31. January 2021
    A long gabion retaining wall made of wire cages filled with rocks stands beside a dirt path, showcasing the strength and durability of gabion construction. Some building materials and houses are visible in the background. www.commaik.de

    Securing a slope with gabions – 1. initial situation and preparation

    20. April 2020
    Concrete blocks are laid in a straight line to form a shuttering stone wall foundation, with a spirit level, wooden plank, and hammer on top; yellow guide lines ensure alignment. Soil and rocks can be seen in the background along the gentle slope. www.commaik.de

    Build your own carport – secure slope with shuttering blocks

    26. August 2020
  • 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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    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
    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
    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

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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