Basement Window Well | Covers Drain And Installation

Gone are the days when people built their house basements which gave a dark and scary look. The basement windows were evolved at first to solve this problem. But the dirt, rotten leaves and other garbage made it difficult to light up the basement through these windows. People had to use more and more electric lights to keep their basements bright and good looking.

What is a basement window well?

To cope with this problem, the basement window well is made. It is a small structure external to the basement which acts as a retaining wall, keeps the dirt away and allows the natural light to pass through it and illuminate your basement. They also help to egress in emergency situations and also called and also called egress window well. It makes the basement of your house a quietest, coolest and an enjoyable place. They play an important role in the safety of a house. The appearance of the house is also affected by this basement window well. They make sure the lesser use of electricity by keeping your house balmy and humid. According a survey, a proper and structurally well built well can cut down 40 – 50 % of your electricity bills.

Types of basement window well

Basement window well is available in different types. Various are prefabricated and just need small time and simple way to install them. These include the plastic and steel made wells. Others need to be prepared especially or at the spot before fitting. These include the wood and concrete and masonry wells.

How to install basement window well?

Concrete and masonry wells are made by digging a whole which is almost a foot below the window base. This allows making footer near the base. Build three walls around the whole. These are durable type of wells. The cons include the difficulty to clean and replacement if necessary. The metal basement window well is also available with different size and shapes. Frequently these are round. Those which are galvanized or made of steel are preferable. The only risk involved in using them is the rusting. Woody basement window well is also available in variety of size and shapes. They also require digging a hole of the size of the well and then installing the well in it. The only risk involved is the termite attack resulting in the decay of the wood. Decaying of wood can be avoided by using decay resistant wood similar to cedar or cypress wood. Plastic made basement window well are easy to install and there is no rusting. They are easy to clean and spacious.

Home security considerations

Nowadays basement wells made up of vinyl and thermo pane glass. They are considered as the everlasting basement window well. They are easy to clean and replace.
The home security is the basic consideration while building a house. In present age, home security is not all about fencing, having durable locking system, moving lights, easy to move around corridors, or having search lights installed. Basement window well is also an important home safety measure.

Choose what is best for you

Keeping in mind the role of the basement window well in your house, you should be careful in choosing them when you are about to finish your home basement. Choose durable, rust free and lasting one if not the everlasting. It should also be spacious enough to meet the egress codes and permit you escape out of it if necessary.

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