Basement Window Well Leaks
Yes. Water under a basement window usually means the window well is filling up. We fix the drainage so it can't.
- ✓ 24/7 emergency line
- ✓ Serving Edmonton and area
Signs you need this
- Water stains or wet drywall below a basement window
- Water pooling in the window well after rain or snowmelt
- Leaves, soil or ice packed in the bottom of the well
- Water at the window frame during heavy rain
Why window wells leak
A window well is a small pit dug beside a basement window that sits below ground level. It should let water drain away. When it can’t, water collects in the well, rises above the bottom of the window, and finds its way in through the frame or the wall beside it.
Common reasons:
- The drain is blocked with soil, leaves or ice, or there isn’t one.
- The soil slopes toward the well, so surface water runs into it.
- A downspout drains nearby.
- The well liner has pulled away from the wall, leaving a gap.
- Snow piles up in an uncovered well and melts in spring.
Snowmelt and heavy rain raise water pressure around the foundation, so window wells often show their problems in spring.
What we do
- Inspect the well: drain, gravel base, liner and the grading around it.
- Fix the drainage: clear the existing drain or add drainage so water leaves the well.
- Seal gaps between the liner and the foundation.
- Add a cover to keep rain, snow and debris out.
- Regrade soil around the well so water runs away from the house.
Before you call
- Scoop leaves and debris out of the well.
- Check that downspouts point away from it.
- After the next rain, look at whether the well holds water.
If water is still getting in, send us a photo of the well and the wet area inside. If the water is coming through the wall itself, see leaky basement repair.
Our process
Check the well
We look at the drain, the gravel, the well liner and how the soil around it is graded.
Clear or add drainage
Blocked drains are cleared, or drainage is added so water leaves the well.
Seal and cover
Gaps between the well and the wall are sealed, and a cover keeps snow and rain out.
Fix the grading
Soil around the well is sloped away from the house.
Questions people ask
Is my window leaking or my foundation?
If water appears right below the window and the window well holds water after rain, the well is the likely source. A wet line down the wall away from the window points to a crack.
Do window well covers help?
Yes. A cover keeps rain, snow and leaves out of the well, so less water collects against the window.
Can I fix it myself?
Clearing leaves and debris from the well, and making sure downspouts don't drain near it, are good first steps. If it still fills up, the drainage needs work.
Talk to us today
Call, or send a few details and photos and we will get back to you.