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Steps from your basement to the outdoors are convenient, but the (metal) hatch doors that cover them are completely uninsulated and leak lots of air. Cold winter air gets sucked into your home continually in winter. In summer, warm humid hair enters the basement and causes condensation on cool floors, walls, and ducts. Results - Cold basement, cold floors on the first floor, drafts higher heating/fuel costs, condensation in summer, higher electric costs for A/C. Proper framing is installed and a new insulated exterior door with weather-stripping and locking knob is installed. Now, "inside" the house is inside the door, and "outside" is outside the door, so it doesn't matter that the hatch door is uninsulated and leaks air. Results - Warmer basement and floors over the basement, drier basement in the summer, lower fuel and electric costs, less drafts, house is easier to heat, more security.
This homeowner in Springfield, MA called us hoping to get her bulkhead door replaced. Their bulkhead door was old, wooden, and rotting, and was therefore in need of replacement.
Luckily, Fogarty's Home Services was able to help this customer. We were able to install a beautiful new bulkhead door. We caulked around the edges and installed flashing behind the door to ensure a tight fit. Now, it looks amazing, and the homeowner is happy!
This homeowner in Longmeadow, MA called us hoping that we would be able to help him with his home. It was having a consistent water problem that was not being helped by their current mitigation system. When our Home Comfort Specialist came out to the home, he noted that the biggest issue they were having with actual water in the home was because it was coming in through their open window wells. Open metal window wells let leaves and debris collect in them, blocking light to the basement. Rain gets in, and water from over flooding gutters cascades into the window wells. Weeds grow in the window wells since they have no bottom, and mud splashes up against the window glass. And let’s face it - they are ugly! Results - Constant maintenance, far less natural light to the basement, and they are ugly!
We had the perfect solution for this customer -- the SunHouse™ Basement Window Enclosure! The window enclosure is a bright color and has a bottom to reflect much more light into the basement. The bottom prevents weeds from growing and mud doesn’t splash against the windows. SunHouses™ have a sturdy matching clear cover to keep rain and leaves out, and it keeps the wind from blowing against the windows.
This homeowner in South Hadley, MA called us when she wanted to get her basement insulated. When our Home Comfort Specialist arrived, he noted that there was not a door at the bottom of the basement stairs. These stairs led up to a bulkhead door, and therefore to the outside. This was an issue, as this means that there is no insulation between the stairway and the outside air -- making the entire basement considered "outside" rather than "inside", no matter how much insulation we put in the rest of the basement.
We helped this customer by installing a new door in their home. We built custom framing to fit the dimensions of the doorway in place. Then, we installed a insulated exterior door with weather stripping. Now, the entire basement is "inside" the door instead of outside. No more uncomfortable, cold basement.
This homeowner in Ellington, CT called us looking to get his bulkhead door replaced. An inspector recommended it be replaced. Additionally, it was the door original to the house, and was decades old and rusting.
Fogarty's Home Services was able to help this customer. We were able to install a beautiful new bulkhead door. We caulked around the edges and installed flashing behind the door to ensure a tight fit. Now, it looks amazing, and the homeowner is happy!