What is a Window Well French Drain?

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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
Why Are French Drains Important
How Do Window Well French Drains Work

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a window well need a drain?

Yes. If you have a window well that has any kind of rain or melted snow pooling at the bottom, then it needs a drain. Otherwise, major flood damage to your home’s foundation and contents is inevitable if heavy rains come down on top of an improperly drained window well.

Are french drains in window wells complicated to install?

No. In fact, window well french drains are easier to install than a typical french drain in the yard. But you must be careful when digging the trench for your corrugated drain pipe so as not to damage any underground lines such as electrical cables or plumbing pipes.

How do you install a French drain in a window well?

A basement window well french drain can be installed by digging a trench and laying down the perforated drain pipe in a radial fashion around your window well. The drainage water will then seep through the corrugated tubes and into the soil. You can use gravel or other material to cover up any exposed corrugated tube so it is hidden from view.

Do basement window wells have drains?

Yes. Typically, window wells drain toward the foundation of your home. Any moisture that has seeped through your window well grate is channeled to a pipe or other material which will direct the drainage flow downward and away from your home’s foundation.

Can you use french drains for window wells?

Yes. A window well french drain is an ideal solution to divert excess water away from your window well area. Be sure to use perforated corrugated tubing, PVC piping or mesh fabric covered wire cage materials so the drainage water can pass through but not soil particles.

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