Basement window leaks
Do you see a puddle in your basement every time it rains that seems to be coming in near the top of the wall, dripping or pouring down the wall? If you do, your basement windows may be the culprit.
While a leaky window may seem like a minor issue, these types of issues not only become an annoyance, they can actually promote the growth of mold in your basement and damage your belongings.
Most of the older homes here in Toronto weren’t made to have a livable basement. Moisture and some water leaks are considered normal, and often times the basement window is the culprit.
Since real estate in Toronto is at a premium, most homeowners want to turn their basement into a livable space. In order to do this, you first have to remove the water and damp in your basement or else you’ll end up with a damp, moldy basement that nobody would want to use.
The basement window well if often a cause of water leaking into the basement. This is often due to shifting foundation, rotted wood and caulking, and cracks that develop around the frame of the window well.If you find that your basement window is causing that nagging leak in your basement, here are a few things you can do.
If you find that your basement window is causing that nagging leak in your basement, here are a few things you can do.
Caulk Your Basement Window
If water is coming through a basement window, there are a couple different solutions to discover. If you haven’t caulked the window, that it is your first line of defense. Something as simple as caulking the window well could solve your problem. Keep in mind that if your window has already been leaking for some time, the framing around the window could be damaged and rotting resulting in additional repairs being necessary.
Install a Window Well
Consider window wells for your basement windows. A window well is a curved piece of steel insert with corrugated pipe that is used to attempt to block moisture from the window area when it is below grade level and drain away water that enters the area. If you have a window well but there’s no gravel, you may want to consider adding some gravel inside the well. The corrugated insert is designed to route the water away but sometimes the well can be overwhelmed by the amount of rain that it receives and can also clog over time, making it useless.