Clearing Your Window Wells After a Calgary Winter

The snow is finally pulling back from the foundations of our houses, exposing a winter's worth of whatever the wind has dropped there. For a few weeks in Calgary, between the last of the deep cold and before the trees and grass really wake up, there is a quiet chance to look over a house. It is a good time for small, steady jobs. One of those is cleaning out the window wells. They are easy to forget when they are full of snow, but as the ground thaws their condition can make a difference when the spring rains arrive. An hour on a mild afternoon is usually enough to look after them.

The Purpose of a Window Well

Most people think window wells are there to let some light into a basement room. They do that, but their main job is structural and related to water management. A window well holds back the surrounding soil so it does not press directly against the basement window. This creates an open space for the window to sit below grade. Just as important, the well is part of the home's drainage system. It is meant to collect water that runs down the side of the house or melts from snow and move it away from the window assembly and the foundation. For basement bedrooms, this space also serves as a required emergency exit. So the well needs to be clear for light, for safety, and for keeping the basement dry.

What Happens When a Well is Blocked

Over the fall and winter, a lot can end up in a window well. The last of the autumn leaves, dirt, windblown litter, and anything else that finds its way in gets buried by snow. As the snow melts, it saturates this collection of debris and turns it into a heavy, dense plug at the bottom of the well. Every window well should have a drain. This is sometimes a visible grate connected to the home's weeping tile system, or it could be a deep column of coarse gravel that lets water soak down into the ground. When this drain is covered by a mat of wet leaves and mud, it cannot do its job.

I remember a house in the northwest where the basement carpet was soaked near the window. The homeowner was baffled because it had not rained recently. We went outside and saw the window well was a small pond, filled with meltwater that had nowhere to go. The drain was completely plugged with soggy leaves from the previous autumn. The water had risen high enough to find a tiny weakness in the window caulking and seeped through, day after day.

This pooling water puts steady pressure on the window seals, the window frame, and the concrete foundation. Water will take any path it can, and long contact is what leads to leaks. A window well full of water is a direct threat to a dry basement.

How to Clean a Window Well

This is a job most homeowners can do with simple tools. You will want a pair of work gloves, a bucket, and a small garden trowel or a sturdy scoop. First, if you have a cover, remove it and set it aside. Then start by scooping out the loose, bulky debris by hand. This includes leaves, twigs, and any trash that has found its way in. As you get lower, you will likely find a compacted layer of soil and decayed plant matter. Use your trowel to scrape this out and put it in your bucket. Keep going until you expose the gravel base or the drain grate at the very bottom. You want this area clear. Once you believe the drain is open, test it. Pour a small bucket of water into the well. It should disappear into the gravel or down the drain fairly quickly. If it pools, the blockage is deeper, and you may need to carefully dig out more material or use a wet-dry shop vacuum to pull the clog out of the pipe. If that still does not clear it, that is a good time to speak with a contractor who works on foundations and drainage.

Inspecting the Area

With the well clean and empty, you have a good chance to inspect the parts that are normally hidden. Take a look at the window itself. Are the seals around the glass intact? Is the frame cracked or damaged? Check the caulking that seals the entire window unit to the concrete foundation. Look for cracks, gaps, or areas where it is pulling away. This is a common entry point for water. Also look at the well liner, which is usually a curved piece of corrugated steel or plastic. Make sure it is still firmly attached to the foundation wall and is not bent, buckled, or badly rusted. The gravel at the bottom should be a good few inches below the bottom of the window sill. If years of cleaning have removed too much gravel, it is a good idea to top it up with a fresh bag from a garden centre.

A Note on Window Well Covers

Window well covers are a good way to keep debris, and a lot of snow, out of your wells in the first place. They can also keep people or animals from accidentally falling in. There is a wide variety of covers available, from simple plastic bubbles to sturdy metal grates. If you choose to install covers, you must make sure they comply with building codes for egress. A cover on a bedroom window well must be easily removable from the inside without special tools or knowledge. A cover that gets buried in snow or frozen in place can be a safety problem. Always check the current requirements published by the province or the city if you are installing or replacing covers on egress windows. It is a quiet and satisfying job, and it is usually simpler than sorting out a stubborn garage door in winter on a bitter January morning.

This seasonal chore does not take long. Spending some time cleaning and inspecting your window wells each spring is a small investment. It keeps you in touch with the condition of your home and can prevent the larger, more expensive headache of dealing with water in your basement. It is one of those quiet tasks that supports the long term health of a house.