Window Well Drainage Repair in Brampton
If water comes in under a basement window after a storm, the window usually isn't the problem. The well outside it is filling up like a bucket until the water finds its way in. Window wells are one of the most common sources we see in basement leak repair in Brampton.
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Why does my window well fill with water? A window well fills when water comes in faster than it can drain out. The usual causes are a missing or clogged drain, leaves and soil blocking the gravel at the bottom, a downspout or slope sending water toward the well, or the well liner pulling away from the foundation wall.
Below: the causes, what you can check yourself today, how we fix it, and what to expect on price.
What causes a window well to flood?
- No drain at all. Some wells were built with just soil at the bottom, so water has nowhere to go.
- A clogged drain. Leaves, soil and debris settle in the gravel and block the drain to the weeping tile.
- Water pointed at the well. A nearby downspout, or ground sloping toward the window, sends extra water in.
- A gap at the wall. When the metal or plastic liner pulls away from the foundation, water runs down behind it.
- Failed weeping tile. If the drain below is blocked, the well drain has nothing to empty into.
What can you check yourself?
- Clear out leaves and debris down to the gravel.
- Pour a bucket of water into the well and watch whether it drains within a few minutes.
- Check that the closest downspout empties away from the well.
- Look for a gap between the liner and the wall.
If the water sits there, the drain is blocked or missing, and that's the repair.
How do we fix a flooding window well?
- Find why it holds water. Missing drain, blocked drain, a gap at the wall or water being sent toward it.
- Clean out the well. Old gravel and debris come out down to the base.
- Fix the drainage. Clear the existing drain or install one that connects down to the weeping tile, then refill with clean gravel.
- Seal the liner. Reattach and seal the liner to the foundation so water can't run down behind it.
- Stop new water coming in. Redirect downspouts, fix the slope, and add a cover if the well collects leaves.
If the weeping tile below is blocked too, the well can't drain no matter what's done at the top. See weeping tile repair.
What does window well drain repair cost?
We haven't found a reliable published price range for Ontario, so we quote after seeing the well. A simple clean-out and reseal costs far less than a new drain that needs digging down to the footing.
Our price, plus HST: clean-out from $150 per well, a new drain from $600 per well, and a new liner from $500. Other leak repair prices are in leaking basement repair cost.
Why fix it before the next storm?
A window well that floods once will flood again with the next heavy rain. Each time, water can soak the drywall and flooring below the window, which is where mould starts in a finished basement.