How effective are window well covers?

Fairly often, homeowners will discover that their wet basement is attributable to water leaking from a basement window. Almost all of the time, water runs down the basement walls, beneath a window, because rainwater, or water from melted snow, has accumulated in the window well and risen to the point where it is able to come through the window itself, or between the window frame and the top of the foundation. Logically, homeowners deduce that if they keep this water from entering the window well, then the water won't accumulate and therefore the problem will be solved. In most cases homeowners will elect to install window well covers.

Window well covers are very effective at keeping leaves, paper, and other debris out of a window well; and to some extent, rain and snow as well. Keeping a window well free of debris on top of the gravel layer is of crucial importance because debris can completely prevent water in the window well from draining down into the gravel layer. Window well drainage is comparable to your kitchen sink drain in that a clogged drain cover will completely prevent water from draining.

Unfortunately, a window well cover cannot be relied upon to prevent all water from entering a window well. The reality is that most of the water actually enters a window well through the gaps between the window well and the wall to which it is fastened; not from rain or snow falling directly into the window well.

In the image below, there is evidence that water is entering the basement between the window frame and the top of the foundation wall. This situation occurs when window well drainage is inadequate. If the poor drainage is caused by an accumulation of debris, a window well cover might resolve the problem after you have cleaned out the window well. If not, window well drainage must be improved; in this case, you must have a window well drain installed.

Call us today at 1.888.284.2384  to have a proper window well drain installed.

Note: In our experience, 40% of cracks in poured concrete foundation walls can be found beneath or at one of the bottom corners of a window cut-out; a window well cover won't prevent these cracks from leaking.