Window Wells
Leaking Window Well
Keeping your basement dry and secure is hard when you have a leaking window well letting in water and making a mess.
How to Handle a Leaking Window Well
Ground-level windows have been installed in many basements to ease the sense of claustrophobia they can create by letting in a little sunlight and allowing for ventilation. The effect is generally to make the basement feel a little more spacious and comfortable, especially during the day. Window wells are installed to allow for windows which are slightly below ground level. The comfort and brightness they bring, however, is no comfort at all if the window well starts leaking and causes flooding in the basement it illuminates.
What Causes a Leaking Window Well?
Most window wells are designed to with stand even heavy downpours. After all, they are designed to allow for functional windows below ground level. As a result, when they do begin leaking, it is usually because of a defect, damage to the window, or wear and tear. The most common causes of a leak, large or small, in a basement window well are as follows.
- Lack of Drainage or Improper Drainage – Window wells are, of course, indented into the ground and they will fill with water when it rains unless there is proper drainage in place. If the well has no way to drain, or it drains poorly, it is only a matter of time until it begins to leak either because of the pressure of the water or because of age.
- Incorrect Installation – If your basement windows and window well are installed improperly, it is far more likely they will leak.
- Damage – If your windows are cracked, the seal is damaged, or the well itself has been damaged in some way, then it is more likely that you will experience leaks, dampness, and even mold or mildew formation.
- Lack of Maintenance – Even the best windows can deteriorate with use and time. If you do not take the time to keep your windows in good repair, they will begin to break down, and this could result in a leaking window well.
- Melting Snow – Melting snow puts a unique kind of pressure on basement windows because it provides a very slow, constant drip of water that puts pressure on even the healthiest windows.
- Sprinklers – Most people do not realize that lawn sprinklers can be damaging to ground-level windows. Like melting snow, sprinklers cause constant water pressure against windows. It can also cause water to pool in ground-level window wells.
- Flooding – Heavy rain and flooding can cause a lot of problems, especially if you don’t have a good window well cover. Heavy rain and flooding can put pressure on your window and seep through any small cracks.