3 Tips For Window Well Maintenance
Many rooms in basements feature full-sized windows and window wells, which keep the soil and groundwater from reaching the window while also providing enough space to allow natural sunlight to illuminate the basement level. If your home features one or more window wells, you may already understand the disastrous consequences of failing to maintain them correctly. Have you ever looked out of your basement window to find nothing but a double-paned wall of glass between you and the foot and a half of water collected in your window well or come home to a flooded basement because of a failed window seal? Keep reading to learn three tips for proper window well maintenance.
3 Window Well Maintenance Tips
Even a little moisture can become a big problem.
Although a minuscule leak in your second story window may not be cause for immediate concern, even a small amount of moisture getting through your basement windows can spell disaster the next time a massive rainstorm hits the Milwaukee area. Keep an eye out for signs of moisture, such as mold growth, puddles directly below the window, frame wood rot, etc., and call a professional to take care of your basement waterproofing needs as soon as possible if you notice signs that water is getting in. Ignoring moisture in or around your window well may lead to significant basement flooding in the future.
Don’t neglect an aging window well.
If your window well is displaying significant signs of age, then it may be time to replace it. Do you notice that the metal has rusted or is showing other significant signs of wear, such as scrapes or warps? Is the window well liner separating from the structure of your home? Has your window well stopped draining properly? It may be tempting to simply make spot repairs and move on, but window wells were never designed to be permanent and will need to be replaced eventually. Be sure to replace your aging window well before a drain, seal, or glass failure results in expensive repairs.
Have your windows and wells inspected annually.
The best thing you can do to prevent damage caused by a failing window well is to have your window wells inspected on a yearly basis. You can complete the inspection yourself, but this can be difficult for homeowners, especially in finished basements where drywall and materials may be hiding a moisture problem. If you’d like a professional to complete your inspection, contact the basement waterproofing experts at Zablocki Waterproofing. We’ve been keeping Milwaukee dry since 1985!
