- Keep snow away from the house, including in the basement window wells, to prevent water from seeping through the windows. Water that sits too close to the basement walls can leak into cracks in the walls. The water can create a damp or flooded basement or damage the foundation.
- The main way to remove the snow from window wells, although laborious, is with a shovel. On smaller window wells you may have to position the shovel in the well while standing above it, but larger window wells have a ladder and you can usually climb down into the well to reach the snow. Keep the snow in your yard since shoveling it into a street can block drainage. Remove the snow from not only the window wells, but also move all of the snow away from the foundation.
- Install heavy-duty window well covers over basement windows. Weaker, plastic covers can cave in under a heavy amount of snow. Most window well covers are mounted to the home's siding or other exterior materials to prevent them from coming off. Some models include an interior lock for security. If you are not skilled enough to install a window well, contact a window well contractor for installation.
- Place at least 6 to 8 inches of draining material, such as pea gravel, at the base of the window well. Keep the gravel at least 6 inches below the window's bottom. Install drainage tile that extends from the well to the foundation drain. For protection against a damp basement, particularly when you can't clear snow from the well, install a sump pump in the basement and keep it running to pump water away from the house before it enters the basement.
Problems
Removing Snow
Prevention
Other Tips
SHARE
