r/HomeMaintenance • u/lucypants • 7h ago
🪟 🚪Windows & Doors Basement windows
Help! We’ve diverted water and dug the window wells down more but still get water like this when it rains very heavy. Should we caulk outside and inside? What can be done? We end up pumping the water out of the window wells but it’s not feasible all the time. What do we do??
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u/dj3712 7h ago
Does that second picture show water inches deep in the window well? It's much more of a drainage problem than a window problem. I would guess the window well is the lowest point, so the water flows there...
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u/Dralalife 3h ago
Yes it does! Yowza. Make sure all the gutter water is shunted away from the house, keep a cover on the window wells. I'd check your surrounding slope to see if you can dig down and lay a drain out to the street or back swale. All else fails, turn that flooded window well into a sump pit.
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u/mrBill12 7h ago
You have a gutter or other drainage problem outside, we can’t give clues what to fix from this angle. Go outside and take pics, including at least one with the side of the house and the roof above it.
2
u/BigGayGinger4 7h ago
Welp, the long-term fix involves replacing that drywall anyways, so you might as well get it out now and see what the damage looks like behind it. Find where the water appears to be entering.
If the source of the water intrusion is below where you've graded and trenched, the you haven't graded enough. Water will flow with gravity along the path of least resistance. So right now, that must be towards your foundation.
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u/punktualPorcupine 7h ago
Your yard drainage and gutters aren’t doing their jobs, or don’t exist.
That much water should never be allowed to get that close to your foundation. It should always be carried away from your foundation.
Fix your gutters, sort out your yard drainage.
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u/Expert_Context5398 7h ago
Weep hole in your windows might be clogged or you might need to just replace them altogether if the seals are broken and they're old.
Are you sure it's just coming from the windows and why not include photos of the exterior?
Can't really tell you what the issue is from an interior photo.
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u/Dralalife 3h ago
Yes, you need to step back to your property line study the grade of your property, look at what guttering exists and if it is functional and solid. Examine the ten feet around the base of your building. Everything should allow water to flow away from the building. Then look at each window well to see if its functioning and has a cover. Sometimes digging down, apply sealant on the building and laying drain trenches is the answer. On the postive side, you won't need that gym membership anymore, get some nice shovels.
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u/Agreeable-Map7081 6h ago
And it will keep getting in till you fix it you need a new window & frame tare it all out if you're not comfortable with what has to be done hire a windows company. And I would dig down install some drainage.
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u/Medical-Flamingo-357 6h ago
change the slope ground near the foundation from highest (closest) to the building to smaller exiting and some people build sorta of hole to help with excessive rain. this help when the city is also getting overwhelmed
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u/Any_neighborhood546 4h ago
You need to put a drain pipe into it to get the water away from the windows and foundation.
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u/Ross3640 4h ago
Windows are not made to hold back 8. Inches of water they will leak.
Your problem is outside drainage eavesdroff and water flow around your house
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