For years I’ve been a member of a fitness center and have been quite satisfied with the overall experience.
But lately I’ve been growing tired of some of the inconveniences.
For one thing, every year the price of membership goes up. And sometimes the clean towels are all gone or the paper towel dispenser is empty. Finally, my fellow exercisers are sometimes inconsiderate. I started looking into the cost of converting a room in my basement into a workout room. I priced different foam flooring products, wall-to-wall mirrors, drop ceilings, and the workout equipment itself. Then I asked my brother, who is my HVAC contractor, how to go about heating and air conditioning the room. One of the first things he suggested was to measure the basement comfort level with a thermometer that has a humidity reader. For an exercise room, he recommended that temperatures range between 64 and 68 degrees. He also knew which dehumidifier I would need in order to deal with the moisture issues. Next we discussed building an enclosed area to house the various HVAC components, such as the furnace and water heater. Because he knows my HVAC system personally, he assured me that my overall system could handle heating and cooling the additional room. Finally, he created an estimate for his work, which would include running extra ductwork from my existing furnace and a/c into my workout room. When I added up all of the costs of installing a fitness room in my basement, it seemed like a lot of money. But when I divided the total cost into monthly segments, I realized that I would actually save money in the long run.