Storage renovations involve arranging cabinets, shelves, closets or other units in your home to give you more space. However, placing furniture or other items on top of building structures can hinder your access to them, so it is important for storage homeowners to make adjustments to make future repairs easy.
You need to keep electrical, plumbing, heating, or other systems in mind as well. Before you finalize your storage renovation plans, make sure to keep the following building considerations in mind.
Access to Essential Building Systems
Your building is likely to have various components that require your attention. Some of these components may even be in areas that you intend to renovate to provide more storage. For example, your circuit breakers, drain lines, shutoff valves and other equipment are often located in garages, basements, closets or utility rooms.
When you decide to renovate these places, make sure to have easy access to them during repairs and maintenance. It is critical for storage homeowners to first identify the equipment they need to provide access to. They must also identify the most convenient location to store items without making it impossible for service technicians and repair workers to do their jobs.
Building owners should also plan ahead for service and repair access to all components. Having a small hole drilled into the wall for technicians to access equipment will give them enough access.
Although they will not be able to remove the equipment, it offers just a few more inches and makes working on the system easier. Always talk to repair experts before you acquire cabinets to store your tools in.
Storage Needs of Mechanical Equipment
Most heating components need access to parts of the room during installation and maintenance. Storage homeowners should leave enough room in your storage unit to allow access to furnaces or any other equipment that utilizes intake and exhaust vents.
The same way, furnaces, boilers or air conditioners that you install close to the storage unit should offer enough free space to service technicians. Make sure to consult all building and safety regulations to learn clearances for such machines.
In addition, consider speaking with HVAC Edmonton about furnace options as a furnace installation requires more space compared to other system installations. It is advisable for storage homeowners to acquire the right cabinet or shelf sizes and dimensions. If you need to renovate your basement board to install your furnace, make sure to keep in mind the space you need to store other items.
Heating equipment also has power supply connections. Make sure that these connections do not get covered by tools. Also, leave enough space for power lines when connecting the heating equipment. The ideal thing for installation is to ensure that the space provided allows free access to the power cable.
Power Lines Needs
Like heaters, your main electrical circuit must remain accessible at all times. The main breaker circuit needs free space and enough clearance for inspectors to make electrical connections and inspections. When storing items, make sure that you avoid blocking the circuit.
When choosing where to locate your breakers or electrical panel you should ensure it does not get covered by any of your stored items. The clearances that electrical codes allow must be enough to maneuver around the unit during repairs.
Your drain line connection can lead to multiple plumbing problems. Make sure that you leave shutoff valves in every part of your home in case one section freezes up. When installing any type of cabinet, make sure that it is not positioned in such a way that will make it impossible to access valves. In case you have an existing cabinet to store your tools in make sure it does not block any part of the drain lines from the sight or access.
Ventilation System Openings
Proper ventilation systems can be hindered when you store items close to the unit. It is therefore essential to provide clearances to all unit openings in your storage units to prevent hindering the function of these systems.
When you place your shelves or storage box on top of air registers, you may restrict the flow of warm or cool air. It is therefore important you identify all registers before proceeding with your installation.
Leaving room around the system components also allows you to make repairs if there is a malfunction at any point. If you have a basement, make sure that you invest in adequate insulation to prevent damage to your heating system.
Moisture and Storage Units
Humidity and moisture can accumulate in many utility areas in your home. They are also common in storage rooms in basements, laundry and other utility rooms.
When you place items in storage units close to one another, you may hinder the free flow of air around the walls, pipes and other structural parts of the home. Failure to leave enough clearance can hinder the detection of possible moisture sources in your home.
It is therefore essential that you plan properly and make sure to leave enough open space for easy maintenance of these utility parts. This is particularly important for damp proofing around walls. If you detect signs of moisture or water accumulation, remove them. It is also essential that you leave ample open space for the unit you have chosen to provide more space for storage.
Storage Material Flexibility
Always make provisions for future repairs which will call for more flexibility. At some point, you will have to replace the equipment you have installed due to its age or because it is faulty., You may also need to add accessories to the systems, making it necessary to leave enough room for this. Make sure you utilize other building components and leave enough clearance to allow future storage modifications.
You should also document all components that have connections, shutoff valves or access points. Make sure that you capture photos of places where you made special modifications.
Conclusion
A home is considered fully renovated when you have sufficient storage to cater for all supplies and equipment. However, you must leave special considerations to facilitate repairs and other building maintenance requirements. Proper storage planning enables you to add functionality and convenience while leaving room for future building needs.
With a Master in Architectural Studies from University of Pennysylvania, Marwa Haydar has pioneered living spaces since 2005. Her expertise, initially honed in a prestigious architectural firm, is evident in her approach to creating environments. Marwa became part of our team in 2019 and has since been a driving force in our home improvement section, known for her practical yet stylish solutions. She’s been spearheading our design workshops since then, infusing her passion for teaching into her work. In her leisure time, Marwa enjoys exploring historic architecture and is an enthusiastic pottery hobbyist, further enriching her understanding of form and texture.
