Having a basement is a novelty in your home, but with it comes a few concerns. If there is ever a flood, your basement may be flooded before any other part of the house. Typically, if the foundation is sturdy, the only other explanation is leaky window wells. Chances are if water is getting through, the window wells have some level of damage. To prevent water from coming through the wells, you must repair them. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Filling Cracks that Cause Leaks
1. Locate all cracks and holes in the basement walls around each window. Sometimes cracks in the brick or cement structure can cause as much of the leaking problem as a defective window. Put on your gloves and mask.
2. Enlarge each crack so that it is big enough to fill and patch with cement. Do this with the hand sledge and chisel. Be careful because pieces of cement will fly about.
3. Scrub the areas with water and a wire brush to loosen any small pieces of cement and remove dust created by hammering away at the cement.
4. Create the cement filler mixture by combining 4½ parts cement and 1 part water. It should have a smooth, creamy consistency.
5. Fill each crack completely with the cement mixture, using a trowel. Note that this will begin to dry in five minutes and will most likely be completely set within 15 minutes.
Installing the Well Duct
6. Drill a hole directly under the window sill, leaving a few inches between the bottom of the sill and the hole. Here you will be creating your own well duct system that will help drain any water directly back to the outside of your home instead of letting it build up inside. The hole should be drilled directly to the outside of the house.
7. Place a metal pipe in this hole. Determine the size of the hole you will be drilling and the pipe size to ensure a perfect, tight fit. Wedge it into the hole until you cannot pull it out. The pipe should be sticking out from the inside wall as well as the outside of the wall.
8. Slip the metal grate over the pipe on the outside of the house. This will prevent debris from falling into the pipe and building up around it.
9. Install the well duct over the pipe sticking out on the inside basement wall. It slides directly over the pipe and can be drilled and bracketed to the wall for complete support. When the water runs through the window well, it will flow into the pipe, into the well duct, and then back outside.
Tags: over pipe, back outside, each crack, into pipe, outside house, pieces cement, through window
