Many homes with rooms below ground level have window wells to let in light and provide an egress in the case of an emergency. Sometimes, especially in the case of deep window wells, homeowners have problems with safety, drainage and maintenance in conjunction with window wells.

A simple solution to these issues is to outfit your window well with a Plexiglas cover that will help keep the snow, leaves, water, and even animals out. The cover can even help with drainage by keeping snow out of the well. When the snow melts, unless the well has a specially designed drain, you may have drainage problems. Digging deeper into the well and placing about 12 inches of gravel at the bottom can address window well drainage. When snow melts, water will dissipate into the ground slowly. This simple home improvement project along with adding covers for your metal window well will most likely halt water from seeping into your foundation.

This article does not suggest that adding a window well cover will eliminate drainage problems, but rather it, along with the addition of a deep layer of stones in the window well can go a long way in dissipating water from out of the well without having it seep into the house. It is a much cheaper solution than a costly re-grading project, or installation of a French drain around your house, so it might be worth testing to see if it helps to reduce water seepage problems.

A deep window well can be hard to keep clean because it fills with leaves, snow, dirt and sometimes even small animals that can’t seems to find their way out. In some areas of the country it is not uncommon for a young moose or deer to become trapped in a deep window well. More common are squirrels and other rodents who fall into the well but can’t jump out. Again, simply covering your window well with a Plexiglas window well cover will keep debris, rain and snow out of your window well, while still allowing light to filter into the room. Children and small animals will also be kept out of the hole safely.

Window wells brighten dark basements and provide emergency egresses. By covering your window well you can eliminate all of the maintenance problems and prevent many drainage problems. The window well cover should fit firmly over the well and be attached to the home. It is important to measure exactly to ensure the fit of the window well cover. The well fitting window well cover will protect and insulate your basement rooms.

A well fitting window well cover helps keep out dirt, water, snow, leaves and animals. It should be made of clear, rigid Plexiglas, and be fairly easy to install. By installing window well covers, your window wells can be virtually maintenance-free!