Common Window Well Problems for Virginia Homeowners

Window Well Repair in Virginia

The purpose of a window well is to offer a safe escape route for emergency situations. If you have a basement with below-grade windows, it is required that you also have window wells. If there is ever a fire, tornado, or other emergency situation, these wells will allow you and your family a safe way to exit the basement. Quality egress window wells will also offer a means to retain the surrounding soil and ensure that any water is drained away.

If the window wells in your home are not properly installed or are in poor condition, it could lead to water issues in your basement. Basement Masters Waterproofing can install window wells that keep you and your family safe while protecting your basement from the dangers of water seepage and moisture-laden window well problems.

Because they sit below the surface of the ground, it is vital that the window wells on your home have proper drainage. If the window wells are not able to drain properly, water will pool inside them. This pooling water may then leak into your basement through wall cracks or seep through the concrete around the basement windows, leading to moisture-related issues, such as:

• Wet Basement
• Damp Crawl Space
• Water Stains
• Basement Mold
• Wall Cracks
• Crawl Space Mold

These are all signs that basement windows in your home are not properly installed. Contact Basement Masters Waterproofing for window well repair solutions immediately.

Window Well Problems and Repair Options in Virginia

There are several different things that can go wrong with your window wells. If you are adding on to your home, you need to make sure that the excavation process goes all the way to the weeping tile, which is part of the drainage system located underneath your home. The area should be checked over and cleaned as needed to ensure that the window well will be able to drain properly. If this is not done, the area will not be able to drain well, resulting in overflow after heavy rains, which may in turn cause water to find its way into your basement.

The window well may also be improperly fastened to the wall of the basement. If this is the case, swelling ground due to ground freezing may push against the window, causing displacement of the ground around the drainage system. This will cause the soil to block the drain, forcing water to push its way through the basement walls instead. To fix this, the window well should be adequately anchored to the wall and properly sealed. Sealing the window well will prevent water seepage and ensure proper drainage.

It is also important to make sure that the ground around the window well is properly compacted. Proper compaction will keep the ground from falling away and create sinkholes beneath the window well and the basement walls. If sinkholes do form, they may cause water pooling and lead to various moisture issues in your basement.

If you are in need of repairs for your window well problems for your Virginia home, contact the experts at Basement Masters Waterproofing right away. We can help keep your family safe and your basement dry.

This post was originally published on 12/18/2014 and updated on 11/11/2021 for accuracy and a larger scope of information.