How does a basement window well drain?

1bagger wrote: ↑The leader pipe in the window well can only manage so much water . Often the grading on the side or rear of the house has settled to the point that most of the water runs up against the side of the house into the window well . I would look at grading making sure the grade slopes well away from the house .

wantboost1 wrote: ↑ Is the pipe supposed to have gravel in it ??

Thai wrote: ↑ My basement window well has been pooling up and leaking water into my basement. A quite common thing apparently from my Google searches. But what I can't find a straight answer to is how these window wells are supposed to drain? I ended up caulking around the well to where it attaches to the house as that was where water was pouring into the well from. Right now I'm working on digging up all the dirt and gravel in it and cleaning them up. I'm only down about 6" so far but am wondering how it's supposed to drain? Is it another 2' of gravel that I should be expecting? And then it just drains into dirt?

I found this:



Is this standard practice in Ontario? So the pipe may be clogged? Hopefully just the entrance.

CdnRealEstateGuy wrote: ↑ NOT ALL WINDOW WELLS HAVE DRAINS. NOT ALL DRAINS TIE INTO THE WEEPING TILE SYSTEM!

If your window well is filling up with water and leaking into the basement, here is what I would do:

1-Confirm you have a drain in your window well. Dig through the gravel to see if you have one. You shouldn't have to dig too deep at all.
2-If you do have one, you have to check to see if it's connected to the weeping tile and/or if it's clogged. Some drains just go down a few feet to act as a buffer, so don't assume it ties to the weeping tile. I would just stick a camera snake down there to see what's happening (if you don't have one, hire a plumber to do it for).

Regardless of the above, I would take steps to keep water out of there. Odds are water is coming from above, so keep it out. Buy a window well cover and seal the window well that way (https://www.rona.ca/en/window-well-cover-4388013). Also, make sure your gutters are ok. I've seen gutters dump water directly into the window well because the slope was off. Next time it rains, go out side and find out where the water is coming from.

Anyways, hope that helps.

Red_Army wrote: ↑ I’m hoping he solved this problem within the last 6 years (you quoted a post from 2012)

BeamerDreamer2000 wrote: ↑ Need Help,

I submitted the basement design with the egress windows opening in the backyard, its a detached house in Brampton under 5 years old. I received the permit as well. Now, I am wondering if there will be a drain pipe to attach from the egress window well.
Any clues ?