Egress Decorative Stone Window Well

A window well is a structure that allows a window to be installed below ground level, allowing more light and air into your basement.  A properly sized and installed window well will hold back the earth and keep moisture from seeping in through the window.

The International Residential Code (IRC) has established a minimum escape area of 9 square feet for a window well - at least 36” x 36” emergency escape well and a 5.7 square foot rescue opening shall be required in each sleeping room. This not only allows for easy escape for anyone in the house, but also allows a firefighter in full gear to get down into your well to rescue anyone in your basement if needed. 

An egress size window well is a great idea if you have living space in your basement, or if you have a basement that could be renovated in the future. Even if you sell a house with an unfinished basement, an egress window and window well combination will boost the resale value of your home, as it can be classified as “livable” space.  

Please note: if your egress window opens into the well, get a well big enough for the window to function properly. In some municipalities, the space behind a crank out window will be subtracted from the total square footage of the well. The well may need to be installed “off center” so there is still nine square feet. You may need to get a slightly larger well if you want the window centered in the well. Our egress kits come with an IN-SWING window, so this is not something you will need to take into consideration.

Consider these points:

• Is the room a bedroom or living space? If it is living space, you will be following the International Residential Code (IRC) by choosing an egress compliant 36” projection window well.  Utility room windows and wells are not generally regulated, but check with your local building inspector to avoid headaches later on.
• Window wells are sized by the inside dimensions.  For example, a 42” x 36” x 48” window well will measure 42” wide on the inside of the well. It will be 36” from the foundation to the inside front of the well.  The rolled lip of the well and the flanges that attach the well to the wall are not included in this measurement.
• For any type of new or existing window, your new window well needs to be 2” wider on each side of the window to avoid cracking the concrete during installation.
• Also, the well does need to extend 8-12” below the lower sill of the window to prevent heavy rains from leaking through the window; and 3-4” above the grade to prevent water from “waterfalling” over the edge of the well and filling it up.
• Consider how your window opens.  If your window opens into the well, get a well big enough for the window to function properly.  In some municipalities, the space behind a crank out window will be subtracted from the total square footage of an egress well.  The well may need to be installed “off center” so there is still nine square feet available for firefighters and rescue personnel to access your basement.
• Our egress kits come with an INSWING window, so this is not something you will need to take into consideration if  you purchase our Egress Kit.

• The well needs to extend 8-12” below the lower sill of the window to prevent heavy rains from leaking through the window; and 3-4” above the grade to prevent water from “waterfalling” over the edge of the well and filling it up.
• Not following this rule of thumb will likely result in water in your basement, resulting in property damage.

We can help!  We can make custom sized wells for you, depending on what you are looking for.  We can customize widths and heights, but not projections.  Please talk to one of our representatives for more information.

The gauge is the thickness of the steel. Most of our wells are 18 gauge galvanized steel, some are extra heavy duty 16 gauge.  The smaller the number, the thicker the steel.

The galvanized steel products we sell have a 30 year warranty to be free from material defects, and must be installed according to our instructions. The White well has a 30 year warranty and Gray and Tan Decorative Stone wells have a 10 year warranty. No warranty is provided for any wells that have been physically altered.

It’s doable for most people.  First things first – contact Diggers Hotline (or Julie,  or whatever it is called in your area) to be sure that it is safe to dig in that area.  Know where the buried fiber optic, cable, gas pipes and electric lines are located to avoid service interruptions and unexpected expenses.

See our installation instructions here.

Consider the size of the well and your physical condition.  The hole can be dug in stages over a period of time, just keep the hole covered with a sheet of plywood to prevent accidents and keep rain out.  Keep in mind that the hole will need to be wider on either side so the well can easily be fastened to the foundation wall.

If this is a large well, consider renting a mini backhoe or excavator, or if you are not qualified, hire someone with the equipment to dig it for you.

First of all if you are digging the hole manually you will need:

• Spade and a metal file to sharpen the spade occasionally
• Possibly a mattock to dislodge stones, if your ground is rocky 
• Wheelbarrow to remove the soil and a large tarp to put the removed soil on.  Retain this soil until the job is finished for backfilling.  

Secondly to attach the well to the foundation:

• Hammer drill to drill the holes to fasten the well to the foundation wall and masonry drill bits
• Wrenches to bolt the well to the house with the appropriate fasteners for your foundation type
• We also recommend using a non leveling concrete caulk between the foundation and the flange of the window well to help prevent water leaking into the well from the sides.

This step should not be skipped because the ground around your house does expand and contract during the freeze/thaw cycle.  This may make the well move away from the foundation over time if it is not bolted to the house.  Bolting the well to your foundation will prevent well collapse and water infiltration.

No, it’s not necessary to have a drain in your well.  If you have a well that goes down 8-12” below the sill of your window, and put 6-8” of decorative stone (that will not interlock or pack down) in the well, the water will drain naturally.

If you are fortunate enough to have a drain tile at the base of your foundation, by all means dig down to the tile, “T” into the drain tile, and add a drain.  You will need the T to insert into the tile, enough pipe to go from the drain to level of the gravel in the bottom of the well, and a drain cap. 

It will be necessary to keep the drain cap area free of debris to keep the water flowing into the tile freely.  A window well cover will make this much easier.

We can replace the usual flanges with inside flanges for an additional charge.  This custom modification allows the well to be attached from the inside of the well, reducing the width needed for the well by about 4-5”.  The inside flanges will also allow you to install a well right next to a wall or other protrusions.

Masonry anchors for poured concrete or Tapcons are our top recommendations for concrete block foundations, but if you have a foundation made with non concrete materials, please consult your contractor for recommendations.

• Masonry anchors

• Tapcons

In stock wells can be shipped in one to two weeks.  All other wells can be shipped in four to five weeks.  

Please note that lead times may increase during peak demand times, or if you are ordering a customized window well.  This will extend lead times another 2-3 weeks.

Depending on the size and quantity of wells ordered, your order will ship via Spee-Dee Delivery, UPS, or common carrier (semi truck).  We use a number of carriers so that we can deliver your order as efficiently as possible.  Of course, we will email you tracking information as soon as it is available from the carrier.

For most wells we bulk packed them using cardboard around the center front of the well and  wrap the flanges with cardboard and stretch wrap for protection. Multiple wells shipped in this manner are steel banded together.

Window well weights vary by size.  Please see the table below.

These weights are the well only, without any packaging.  We will be glad to give you more specific information - just ask.

We package our merchandise to arrive in the best shape possible. Rarely, things do happen to shipments after they leave our facility that are out of our control.  

If the well arrives with a small dent or ding at the top edge of the well or a bent flange, that will not impact your warranty or installation.  If your well has rolled edges on both ends, simply flip the well, and put the damaged end in the ground.  

Please make sure that if you ordered a cover with your well, make sure that your cover will fit the well by checking the fit before the well is attached to the foundation.  

If you need to adjust the well because it is too wide, bolt one side of the well to the wall and push on the opposite side until you get the desired dimension.  If the well is “squished in” bolt the well to the foundation, get in the well and push on the opposite side until it is where it needs to be.  The only part of the well that needs to be adjusted is the top edge where the cover will clip on to, it’s not necessary to change the width all the way to the bottom of the well.

Please contact us for more information on this issue. 

If the well is greatly damaged please refuse delivery, and note on the paperwork that it is refused due to damage. Please take pictures to email to us.  We will handle the situation at that time.

If you have any questions that we haven’t answered, please call us at 888-650-9355.