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  • The Villa
    • The top floor
    • The upper floor
    • The first floor
    • The cellar
    • The garden
  • Stories from the construction
    • irrigation
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    • Pool and terrace
    • SmartHome
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  • Draining the basement with a new horizontal barrier – conclusion after 9 months

    A man with gray hair and a thoughtful expression stands in front of a textured beige wall with faded markings, while a large white arrow points to a spot where a horizontal barrier was installed for drying purposes. www.commaik.de

    It is now nine months since our old damp cellar was drained with a retrofitted horizontal barrier – time to take stock. In a building over 100 years old like ours, which was built without the foundation waterproofing that is common today, moisture in the basement is a real challenge. As the rising damp in our cellar became increasingly visible, I installed a new horizontal barrier with injection cream in the thick cellar walls to create a barrier against the ground moisture. In this article, I show in detail what effect the moisture barrier has had, where problems still exist and what other measures seem sensible to keep the cellar…

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    Draining and waterproofing basements: Effective measures against moisture and flooding

    24. November 2024
    A small backyard swimming pool with clear blue water is surrounded by patio stones. The covered outdoor seating area, topped with solar panels, offers a perfect spot for winterizing the pool. A palm plant sits in the foreground. www.commaik.de

    Winterizing the pool – putting pool technology into operation and adjusting water values

    29. January 2024
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    Lymow One Plus in test: RTK robot mower for large areas & difficult terrain

    29. March 2026
  • 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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    Screenshot of a solar panel monitoring app displaying the Statistik section. The background highlights blue solar panels, with the main heading reading Balcony Power System and a note showing it was last updated 5 minutes ago. www.commaik.de

    Balcony power station – Set up the Solarman app optimally

    29. October 2023
    A small backyard swimming pool with clear blue water is surrounded by patio stones. The covered outdoor seating area, topped with solar panels, offers a perfect spot for winterizing the pool. A palm plant sits in the foreground. www.commaik.de

    Winterizing the pool – putting pool technology into operation and adjusting water values

    29. January 2024
    A man points at a metal heating box containing machinery and a yellow fluid tank; a large white arrow indicates transferring liquid from a red fuel container into the parking heater. www.commaik.de

    Upgrading the diesel parking heater: Installing a tank extension for the mobile heating box

    19. January 2025
  • 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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    Installing lawn irrigation: Valve box, Hunter solenoid valves and Rain Bird water distribution in detail

    1. March 2025
    A close-up of gabion wire mesh panels forming a fence or retaining wall, with a black cable looped through the grid. Gravel and dirt are visible on the ground, and a white material lines the inside of the structure. www.commaik.de

    Securing a slope with gabions – fleece water conduits

    11. June 2020
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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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