Basement Basics

Desiree Lawlor from Hart Water Conditioning is the kind of great that words can’t adequately describe. You have to experience her for yourself. So I finally made the video I’ve been wanting to make for a long time. Just two women chatting underground… Below are some choice nuggets from our conversation. And then, please, watch the video – you’ll never be scared of the basement again!

A Father-Daughter Team

Desiree says, “What probably brought me to the water business wasn’t the water, it was my dad.” Hart Water is a family owned and operated business serving the Hudson Valley since 1973. Desiree runs it with her father, Tom, who she notes recruited her into the job “the way he would have with a son”. When a homeowner calls, “I’m very often the only woman they’ll see, the only tradesperson that comes to their house that is a woman.”

What is a well, anyway?

It’s OK not to know the first thing about how country houses work, as long as you’re willing to learn and you know who to call. Says Desiree, “It’s super important to get to know your basement. Don’t be afraid of it. Don’t let it intimidate you…Be the boss of it.”

I particularly admire Hart Water’s commitment to non-chemical water treatment. They installed a piece of equipment in my basement that nipped a nasty sulfur problem in the bud…using AIR!

Ladies of the House

Desiree and her (other) friend Kate recently founded a new business, aptly called “Ladies of the House,” to help homeowners understand their house systems. “I want to empower, especially women, homeowners.”

You start to see why Desiree is one of my superheroes and go-to partners when it comes to home stewardship. And, as you can tell from the video, she’s a lot of fun. While even I can’t say I ENJOY spending time in the basement, it’s no hardship when Desiree is around.