Window Well and Well Drain
Repairing a foundation by installing correct window wells and well drains
What are window well drains:
"Window well drains are less about the pipe and more about creating a chimney to the weeping tile so water does not accumulate in the well. If you do not have weeping tile… a well drain is redundant and window wells can/will fill under normal rain or thawing conditions. There are many thousands of window wells installed that do not have drains and may not ever need them. On the other hand… there are just as many which fill periodically and allow water to pour in through window and cracks that form in the concrete at the corners of the windows."
Window wells and well drains can impact your home insurance. Ask anyone who has had their basement flood, or needed to make a claim because enough water damage was done that their savings account would not cover the expense. Water is the most destructive force on the planet. When a home catches fire, it’s the water used to put out the flames that cause the majority of the damage. While the flames and smoke are rising the water is travelling from the tips of the flames to the lowest point of the home. Water finds a path and follows it. You may not see it for a long time… sooner or later the nose knows. The smell of mold permeates the air, black spots start to show on wall board and pieces of decorative trim swell.
What is a Window Well:
"A window well is a protective barricade that isolates a below grade basement window from the soil. The window well is dug at least 6-8 inches below the bottom of a window and can be constructed from any number of materials. Corrugated metal window wells are most commonly used but can be wood, stone or concrete. The space between the “well” and the window needs to be drained… otherwise you would have a “dam” rather than a well."
Why are “Window Wells” important?
A heavy rain can fill a “well” quickly… If the rain water does not percolate down fast enough the only place the water has to go is in through the window. The best sealed windows are never aquarium tight and will fail over time. Most windows are constructed with drain hole in the bottom of them to allow rain water that collects on them a route out. This is where the “well” water will most likely enter the home.
How “Window Wells” protect your health!
Because most basement leaks go undetected for years… though signs in the form of musky smells may be the first sign. People brush the smell off… as
“the air is old”
“we don’t come down here often enough to disturb the air”
“it just need to be lived in more”
All true but the fact is, water has set off a chain reaction that creates unhealthy air. Air that is pulled through your furnace system and distributed throughout the home.
If your air smells off in your basement or you see water signs, call an expert.
WE at “BLOCKADE”... Fix Basements
Exteriors including:
Crack repairs
Window wells
Well Drains
Re-Grading
Weeping tile
Landscape and hardscape repairs
Interiors Including:
Framing
Drywall
Finishing
Contact Blockade at 780-453-8960 to schedule consult or installation.
Please contact us by phone or email.
Phone: 780-453-8960
email: info@blockadegc.com
PO Box 62023
Edmonton, AB.
Canada, T5M 4B5
