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Window wells are a great way to bring in light and fresh air into the home. But over time, window wells can become clogged with dirt and debris. If this is left unchecked, water will eventually seep through the window well and cause costly damage to your basement or crawl space floor. A window well french drain is one of the best ways you can protect your home from these issues!
Window well french drains help remove any excess water that might be pooling at the bottom of your window well. This helps mitigate any potential flooding issues that could occur as a result of heavy rainstorms or snow melt during winter months. Window well french drains also work by keeping soil particles, leaves, pine needles etc. from building up.
In this guide we’ll teach you everything you need to know window well french drains:

What is a French Drain Window Well
A window well french drain is a perforated pipe with a corrugated pattern on the inside. The drain is installed around the window well or egress window and down to the soil level of your home or basement wall. French drains work best in areas where heavy rainfall and snowmelt create excessive water accumulation at window wells.
Why Are They Important
It is important to install a french drain in your basement window well because of the serious flood damage that could occur. In heavy rains, water can pool at window wells and seep into your basement or crawl space floor. Left unchecked, this situation will quickly turn costly structural damages to your foundation of home. A french drain window well system provides a preventive measure against these effects of excess water drainage.
How Do Window Well French Drains Work
Window well french drains work by collecting the moisture at the bottom of your window well. The corrugated drain pipe is installed around the perimeter of your window well and allows any water to seep through its perforations into the surrounding soil. This works by taking advantage of gravity which puts all water flows in a downward direction. This will also ensure you are receiving adequate drainage
3 Benefits and Potential Consequences of Not Installing a French Drain
The main benefits to installing a window well french drain are primarily to protect your home and belongings from basement flooding. Another benefit is the ease in which you can maintain your window well area.
French drains are easy to install and can prevent thousands of dollars in water damage if the basement floods. In some cases your home owners insurance may cover the cost of french drain installation depending on the policy.
A potential consequence of not installing a window well french drain would be needed long-term repairs or reconstruction costs due to excessive flooding/water damage in your home.
Conversely, potential consequences can be damaged foundation walls in addition to damage in your basement or crawlspace. This includes discoloration in concrete, drywall and paint to name a few if the window well is not installed correctly.
Window wells are a great way to bring in light and fresh air into the home. But over time, window wells can become clogged with dirt and debris. If this is left unchecked, water will eventually seep through the window well and cause costly damage to your basement or crawl space floor. A window well french drain is one of the best ways you can protect your home from these issues!
Window well french drains help remove any excess water that might be pooling at the bottom of your window well. This helps mitigate any potential flooding issues that could occur as a result of heavy rainstorms or snow melt during winter months. Window well french drains also work by keeping soil particles, leaves, pine needles etc. from building up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a window well need a drain?
Are french drains in window wells complicated to install?
How do you install a French drain in a window well?
Do basement window wells have drains?
Can you use french drains for window wells?
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