Window Wells
Having window wells in the basement of a home is pretty much a standard in modern construction and they are a great thing to have for many reasons, such as serving as an emergency escape if needed, but most importantly letting in badly needed fresh air and natural light.
Obviously, when there is a window in the basement of a home, there should be a window well outside unless, someone would prefer to look at dirt outside their basement window. Window wells provide space for light to enter, a place for water to drain and allows space for air to be able to enter, as well as a strong barricade to hold back the soil base.
On the other hand, basement windows create another way for water to be able to penetrate a foundation and enter the basement. Windows that are properly installed and maintained will keep out minor seepage and play an important role in keeping the basement dry.
Window wells are very important in modern construction. However, for all their merits window wells are just large openings in the ground alongside a foundation wall with the potential of filling with water during sudden heavy or sustained rainstorms or snow melts.
When a window wells do fill with water, they are put to the test by having to hold back the pressure created on the window that will seek any small crevice to penetrate the basement area.
Properly functioning window wells should be outfitted with a drain, allowing the water it collects to drain and not build up beyond the drains ability to function. Ensuring water does not break through the windows ability to hold back moisture and remaining intact so that water does no penetrate the basement.
Window well drains commonly dump into a home’s exterior weeping tile but can also be connected to an internal drainage system. Window w ell drains can also be set up to drain water away from the property via gravity through properly sloped exits. A window ell should never fill up with water when properly constructed and maintained.
In some older homes, window well drains were not included in their original construction and must be added in order to ensure proper drainage and protect the foundations integrity. Do to the lack of regular maintenance many window well drains fail because of clogging from debris.
Many homeowners think that by installing a window well cover they are keeping water out. However, by installing flimsy plastic bubble covers from the hardware store, they are in fact creating efficient little greenhouses allowing weeds to grow and eventually clog up and choke out drainage. Window well covers of this nature are easily cracked and broken, rendering them useless and create a bigger mess in many cases than originally existed. The proper approach is to have a adequate and efficiently functioning drain installed into the window well.