If your home has window wells, you already know the benefits they provide, such as natural light. However, you might not be aware of how window wells impact your home insurance. This quick guide to the subject will help you understand why properly maintaining your window wells will be useful if you ever need to file a relevant insurance claim.
Window wells provide basements with beautiful views, but three important factors allow them to do this: a functioning drainage system, a protective cover, and an owner willing to carry out inspections and maintenance on a regular basis. When we say “a regular basis," we mean as many as two times throughout the year. If you have a working drainage system and a durable cover on top, your inspections should be relatively simple. Without a window well cover, leaves, twigs, and other junk have a higher chance of getting inside. This will ultimately create an eyesore or, even worse, create a clog in the drainage system. If your drain doesn't work, then any snow or rain that gets inside the well won't be able to escape, which means it will eventually leak into your basement.
If you choose to file an insurance claim for this water damage, your insurance provider will inspect the wells to establish the cause. If the cause of the leak was poor window well maintenance, then your insurance provider might deny the claim outright. If you keep a close eye on your window wells and consistently ensure there's no buildup inside or any other issues, your insurance provider will see that you're not a neglectful homeowner.
Now that you know how window wells impact your home insurance, you can take the right steps to maintain them all year round. At Window Well Supply, we provide residents of the U.S. and Canada with durable, rust-free metal egress window well covers that will keep rain and debris from getting inside. With a quality cover on your side, you can minimize the risk of your drain clogging up due to snow, leaves, and other obstructions. It's important to remember that even if you have a cover on your window well, you should still conduct inspections each year.