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Window Well Repairs and Drainage in Ottawa-Area Homes
Because nobody wants to live with a leaky basement, Capital Foundation & Waterproofing Ltd. provides expert drainage solutions and window well repairs for Ottawa-area homes. When water leaks into your basement through your windows, you may assume it’s caused by ill-fitting windows. However, it could indicate that you have an issue with your basement window wells not draining properly. When you have water backing up in your wells, it’s going to eventually make its way into your home through those windows no matter how tightly sealed they are. You should never replace your basement windows without first consulting a window well expert!
What Are Window Wells, Anyway?
If you have a basement with ground-level windows in your home, it’s highly likely that you also have window wells. Typically U-shaped, window wells are designed to fit around your basement windows and come in various widths, heights, and materials, including metal and plastic. Window wells serve many purposes, including:
They allow light into your basement.
They allow you to see out your basement windows.
In an emergency, they allow you to climb out of your basement windows.
When properly installed, they allow water to drain away from your home rather than through your windows.
How Do Basement Window Wells Work?
A window well is designed to prevent rainfall and other surface runoff from freely flowing through your basement window. Similar to a regular well, it allows for drainage away from your home, usually through a deep layer of gravel. Some window wells also involve the installation of a drain pipe to direct the water into a perimeter drain, but this isn’t usually the case. It’s important to understand that your gravel could become clogged with wet sand and dirt and will need to be replaced from time to time so that it remains clean and loose. You’ll also need to remove snow, leaves, and other debris from your window wells in order for them to function properly. As your home settles over time, be aware that your window wells can actually shift away from your home and may need to be readjusted or replaced so that they’re always fastened tightly against your basement walls.
Common Window Well Repairs in Ottawa
The most common types of window well repairs we see in Ottawa include fixing poor installations and incorrect window well sizing, gravel layer contamination, and lack of adequate drainage. In some cases, we’ll need to completely remove your window well and install a brand-new one to correct your issue. Other times, we may just need to readjust your window well to ensure that it’s securely fastened to your foundation or install a new drain to increase the efficiency of your window well’s drainage. If gravel layer contamination is the main issue, we may recommend installing a window well cover to help keep debris out of it. Window well covers also keep animals and small children out of your window well area.
Free Window Well Repair Estimates in Ottawa
If properly maintained, your window wells should last a long time. However, when your basement floods, your window wells may need repaired or replaced. There could also be signs that they need replacing long before that ever happens. It’s a good idea to get them inspected regularly every fall or spring. Should you ever notice any signs of aging, including rust or bumps, you should have a window well expert take a look at them right away. For basement window well repairs in Ottawa you can trust, be sure to contact Capital Foundation & Waterproofing Ltd. We’d be more than happy to come out to your property and provide you with a free repair estimate!