How does one go about closing up a basement window that is below grade? Is there a way to form and fill the window void with concrete, or will it have to be bricked in? I need to berm soil up to the house that would cover the windows and put in a drainage system to carry water away from the foundation. Thanks…Keedman
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#1 why would you want to close off the window?
#2 you could probably fill it almost all the way with just using forms, but cinderblock would be easier
I'm just sayin'
Edited 11/22/2008 12:46 pm ET by andyfew322
One of my remedies to move standing water from that side of the house is to create a trough to channel the rain water to the back yard. The grade is already at the top of the wells and the window wells have already filled with dirt and debris to the window panes. Even with covers the soil gets so saturated that the wells actually fill up with water, resulting with a steady stream of water coming down the interior wall.
In addition, I've been advised to dig a hole on that side of the basement, coil some perf-pipe in the hole, run one end of the pipe to daylight and cover the pipe with gravel and landscape fabric to help drain the water away from the house. Thanks for the reply...Keedman
Keedman, did you end up solving this issue? I am having the same issues and do not know what next steps to take.
Before covering windows, make sure it's legal to do so. Code may require them for light, ventillation, or egress. Covering a window may render that end of the basement "not habitable" and legally unusable for anything other than storage/mechanicals.
The window opening can be filled with concrete, or filled with concrete block. Whatever's installed needs to be keyed into the existing opening somehow (and possibly the sill above) so it won't separate and push out under soil/frost pressure. Then the entire area should be waterproofed, preferably with a rubber membrane.
Dan, How would I get the concrete into the forms in order to fill them completely?
Thanks, Keedman
Very carefully!(Depends on your precise situation, but basically you close off the back side, build the form on the outside to about 8" shy of the top, place your concrete and rod it, then add more form to the top, leaving a hole in the center where you can stuff concrete through. Place the remaining concrete and rod it, then finish the hole with a trowel, depending on the concrete to be stiff enough to hold it's shape.)
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