Many times it's possible to rearrange spaces within an existing house and make it work so much better than before. By opening up floor plans, moving stairs, even moving bedrooms and living spaces, it's possible to create a plan that is appropriate for today's living. Here are some things to consider:
1) Dirty or Obstructed Chimney� Have the chimney inspected and swept by a Certified Chimney Sweep so that the chimney can be checked for any obstructions such as a bird�s nest or tree branches, or your kid�s missing volley ball. Also, a dirty chimney cap will prevent smoke from freely exiting the chimney.A whole house remodel is an exciting project to undertake because the result is often a new, fresh design that doesn't have any resemblance to the old design. By making bold design moves, rearranging spaces, and upgrading and renewing materials, an old house can be given new purpose and extend its useful life many years.Consider Green MaterialsIt seems more often than not that stairs and fireplaces are just in the wrong spot. Stairs are often too tight and dangerous to navigate. By moving the stair, it can often be designed to better connect different floor levels and also be a more comfortable dimension to make the stair safer to use.While the interior of many homes needs a major overhaul, often the exterior does as well. Consider new paint colors, new windows, doors, roof, and siding. When adding new doors and windows, don't be constrained by existing openings. It can be easy to lower sill heights or even add french doors where a window was once located. Also consider adding architectural features such as dormers or an interesting entry canopy.By letting go of preconceived ideas of how rooms should be arranged, you may be able to arrive at a solution that you couldn't imagine before. That may mean that the master bedroom needs to go where the living room is. Or moving the kitchen may solve many layout problems. While the project is still early in the design phase it's easy to test bold ideas, so do this early on to arrive at the best solution for your project.8) Central Heating System� If the heater is on, you will lose the draw from the chimney which will cause a smoking problem. This is because the central air furnace is so strong that even if the air intake vent for the central heating system is not in the same room as the fireplace, it will suck the outside air down the chimney and will cause the fireplace to smoke when the fire is going. Do not run the heater when the fireplace is in use!10) Tall Trees and Buildings� A tall tree or added-on second story (yours or your neighbor�s) close to the chimney may change the wind currents and cause down drafts to go down through the chimney and not only cause a smoking problem but possibly an odor problem as well. Keep those trees trimmed! With the 2nd story problem, the solution will likely be to raise the chimney height, but in some cases the wind cap might help instead.6) Cold Weather� If the weather outside the house is either colder and/or raining, the air inside the chimney flue will be cold and heavy and block the smoke from venting out. In this case, it helps to �prime� the chimney by rolling up a newspaper and lighting it, then hold the lit end close to the open damper inside the firebox for a minute or two to warm up the heavy air in the flue. Then you can light the fire and ideally should have a good draw.Let go of Preconceived Ideas2) Closed Damper� Before starting a fire, always check to make sure that the damper is completely open. If you�re not sure, shine a flashlight up the chimney to see if the metal damper plate is open or closed.
A whole house remodel is an exciting project to undertake because the result is often a new, fresh design that doesn't have any resemblance to the old design. By making bold design moves, rearranging spaces, and upgrading and renewing materials, an old house can be given new purpose and extend its useful life many years.
Author: Nazim Nice
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