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Purpose, geography, and history. A basement can be used in almost exactly the same manner as an additional above-ground floor of a house or other building. Adding a basement can also reduce heating and cooling costs as it is a form of earth sheltering, and a way to reduce a building’s surface area-to-volume ratio.
What is the point of basements?
Basements built in California are often below sea level, so extra measures must be taken to prevent flooding and other water-related issues. Most contractors working in California try to reduce expenses wherever possible, and excluding basements from homes fulfills this goal.
Why do houses in America have basements?
The reason we have basements at all is because years ago people needed to have frost-free spaces before the days that heating systems kept homes above freezing all the time. Homes like these needed a basement to keep vegetables from freezing and spoiling.
Why do more houses in the north have basements?
Building foundations need to be below the frost line to avoid freezing and cracking in pipes. In cooler climates, the frost line is several feet below the surface, which is why many Northern homes have basements.
Why do houses in Texas not have basements?
Phil Crone, executive director for the Dallas Builders Association, said basements are also not as common in Texas because the frost line — the depth below the ground where the soil does not freeze in the winter — is much shallower in Texas than up north.
Why would a house not have a basement?
“It’s easier to build without a basement if you were doing assembly-line construction.” In addition, fear of earthquakes was often cited as a reason for the dearth of basements in the Golden State.
Is basement good for house?
Basement is a need of every house today, but according to Vastu basement should be avoided in residence because low room/space or empty space under the house is not considered auspicious. However seeing the requirement of people, basement if made in house should not be used for living or sleeping purpose.
Do basements protect you from tornadoes?
Basement. If you have a basement or storm cellar, that may be the safest place to be in a tornado. Basements are underground and offer more protection than any other room in your home. During a tornado, the floors can weaken and cause these items to fall into the basement.
Why are basements so popular?
Basements are most common where the weather is largely dry: floodplains spell disaster for underground living space! In areas such as the Midwest, basements are often considered as ‘standard’. They were remodeled to a degree – often with concrete floors which was an improvement from the basements of the past.
Do all Americans have basements?
In North America, cellars usually are found in rural or older homes on the coasts and in the South. However, full basements are commonplace in new houses in the Canadian and American Midwest and other areas subject to tornado activity or requiring foundations below the frost line.
Do most US homes have basements?
Originally Answered: Do all American houses have basements? NO! Basements are common in the Midwest and Northeast, and a few elsewhere. Many homes are built on a raised foundation giving them a crawl space under the house.
Which states don’t have basements?
These states are: Arkansas. Louisiana. Oklahoma. Texas.
Why dont houses in Virginia have basements?
Basements are less common in areas that flood regularly or have high water tables. For example, in areas along the Virginia shore, the water table could begin just a few feet below the surface of the soil, but building a basement requires digging down at least eight feet.
When did houses start having basements?
Basements became much more popular in the United States starting in the 1950s.
Why are homes so cheap in Texas?
In general, houses are cheaper in Texas for two reasons. First, land is cheaper. There is so much of it, and much of it is not useful for any other reason, like growing crops. Second, wages are generally lower in Texas, resulting in lower prices in many areas.
Is the basement a safe place during an earthquake?
While a powerful earthquake could be catastrophic, it’s important to note that it’s falling debris, and not the ground’s movement, that causes most injuries and deaths. Basements are safe during an earthquake, but you shouldn’t try to get there once the shaking starts.
Why are there no basements in Vegas?
Basements require a lot more excavation than your typical pool, according to experts. According to the late, great Las Vegas historian Hal Rothman, the absence of basements in Las Vegas — and their accompanying storage space — made the three-car garage a coveted status symbol.
Why are there no brick houses in California?
There are several reasons why brick isn’t predominant: The climate: California’s weather is pretty temperate-we don’t get subzero temperatures like back East or in the Midwest, so we don’t need the extra insulation. On top of that, in parts of California, it can get very hot, and brick holds heat in.
Why are there no basements in Arizona?
Because the ground doesn’t freeze in Phoenix, you only have to dig 18 inches below the surface to pour concrete footing for a house. If you want a basement, you’ll have to go out of your way to dig deeper. That’s complicated by a common soil phenomena in the state called caliche.
Why is a basement called a basement?
basement (n.) “lowest story of a building, wholly or partly underground,” 1730, from base (v.) + -ment.
