Do I need window well covers?

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Window Well Covers and Safety
Window well covers are also important for the safety of you and your family. Without a cover, a misstep can cause people or pets to fall into the well, risking potentially serious injury. A window well cover is also an effective way to keep intruders out of your basement.



Keeping this in view, are window well covers required?

Although not required, window well covers are especially important if the space around the ground level opening is along a walkway or near a children's play area. Window well covers, however, can block sunlight, ventilation and emergency egress, especially if they become covered in snow and ice.

Similarly, do window well covers keep water out? Window Well Cover. Although, for the most part, window well covers keep water out, they're mostly designed to prevent debris from falling in and clogging the drain. Whether it's from grass, leaves, mulch, or soil, you'll want to do everything possible to keep these items away from the window well drain.

Also Know, what is the purpose of window well covers?

A window well cover is a sheet of material manufactured to fit over the top of an exposed window well to cover the well and basement window. Its purpose is to prevent accidental falls inside the window well and to prevent buildup of water, snow, and debris in the window well which could lead to basement flooding.

Should you cover basement window wells?

Window well covers do not stop window wells from filling with water; they keep debris from getting into the window well and clogging the drain. A properly sized and secured window well cover will prevent leaves, grass clippings and other landscape waste from filling the window well and clogging its drain.

30 Related Question Answers Found

What do you fill window wells with?

Filling in Around the Well. Fill the bottom 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) of the window well with gravel. Pour the gravel around the inside and outside of your window well, and pack it down with the bottom of your shovel. Spread the gravel evenly over the area so you have a 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) layer at the bottom of the hole.

How do you secure a window well cover?

WINDOW WELL COVER INSTALLATION
  1. Fasten flat brackets to cover flange at holes provided, with slotted end of bracket pointing as shown.
  2. Set cover in place against house wall and on top of the window well casing.
  3. Mark proper location for bending brackets and then bend as indicated.
  4. Drill 1/4″ holes through window well casing at the desired locations.

Do all windows have weep holes?

Unlike other types of windows, you won't accidentally clog the weep holes with paint or caulk, but you still must ensure they remain free of debris to drain properly. All types of window have weep holes.

How much does it cost to put in a window well?

Hiring a professional to install a window well will cost from $500 to more than $2,000, depending on materials used and what grading and/or drainage planning is required.

How much do custom window well covers cost?


MacCourt: Window well covers cost an average of $10 – $280. Shape Products: Window well covers cost an average of $28 – $290. Ultra Protect: Window well covers cost an average of $60 – $380. Wellcraft: Window well covers cost an average of $450 – $500+

How high should a window well be?

Set the elevation. The top of the window well should be at least 2 to 3 inches above finished grade if possible. And since the finish grade should not be closer than 8 or 9 inches to a building's siding that means the top of a window well should be at least 6 inches down from the siding.

What should a window well look like?

A window well is a U-shaped, ribbed metal or plastic product available in most home hardware stores. It's designed to fit around basement windows, providing a space between the window and the surrounding earth to allow light into sub-grade structures.

Should I put rocks in my window well?

Window wells don't need to be boring. After digging out the hole to install your well, you fill it with gravel or broken rock chunks to support the window well itself, improve drainage and prevent damaging frost heaves in the winter. The same gravel or rock is used as a base of the floor inside the egress well.

What are the best window well covers?

Best Window Well Covers For 2020
  • The Maccourt W4419 Window Well Cover Review. VIEW ON AMAZON.COM.
  • The Amerimax Translucent Window Well Cover Review.
  • The Maccourt Circular Low Profile Window Well Cover Review.
  • The Maccourt W4018 Type A Window Well Cover Review.
  • The Maccourt W4218 Circular Bubble Window Well Cover Review.

Why do my window wells fill up with water?


Weeds, leaves, dirt, and other debris clog window wells, causing them to fill with water. The water then leaks through the window and into the basement.

How do you make a window well?

Window well installation steps
  1. Step 1: Make a digging template. Set the prefabricated window well next to the house so that it spans the window evenly.
  2. Step 2: Dig the hole.
  3. Step 3: Clean the side of the house.
  4. Step 4: Install the window well.
  5. Step 5: Backfill the hole.

Why do my windows leak when it rains?

Most often window leaks during rain are the result of faulty installation or improper construction. It could also be a lack of overhangs or improperly angled fascia that drain water and protect against wind-driven rain. Or leaks could be the result of poor maintenance or missing caulking.

How do you keep water out of window wells?

Window Well Covers and Other Ways to Keep Water Away
  1. Make sure the ground slopes away from the window well and if necessary regrade. This will prevent the rain water from running straight toward the window.
  2. Check the gutters and downspouts.
  3. Install window well drains.
  4. Install the window well enclosure.

How do I stop water from coming in my window well?

Window well metal may be too low. Take it out and replace it with new ones, raising the lips up where water will not go over top. Compact the soil around them tightly so water won't run down the outside edge and fill the well that way. Add grass around the edge to keep the rain from washing the dirt away.

Why is my window well leaking?


During or shortly after rainfall, a clear sign of a leaking window well is trickling water. In most cases, you can see this water coming down the walls underneath a window well. Even light rains can build up in poorly drained window wells, which allows enough pressure for moisture to force its way through your windows.

How do I keep weeds from growing in my window well?

Mix vinegar and salt. Spray/pour on the weeds and whole windows well area. This will skill and stop weeds. Keep doing this for few times.

How should window well covers fit?

Instructions
  1. Center the cover over the window well with the back edge snug against the house.
  2. On both sides of the cover, measure about 4 in. to 6 in.
  3. Remove the cover from the window well.
  4. Fasten the clips firmly to the cover so that the prongs can grab the edges.
  5. Test-fit the cover on the window well.