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If your home has bedrooms or living spaces in the basement, you are required by law to install egress windows for easy escape in case of emergency. If the lowest level of your home is slightly above ground, then egress window installation with be simple. However, it’s more likely that you will have to make some special alterations. Window wells are large holes made in the ground near the exterior foundation of your home to allow easy access to and from the window. This intentional opening around your foundation could create some serious hazards, so as you address the interior of your basement, you’ll also want to consider how these changes will affect your exterior as well. More often than not, the all-around best way to solve these hazardous problems is to use window well covers. Shelter – Digging a large hole near your foundation wall sounds like a bad idea. Despite easy egress, an uncovered well also acts as a big bowl for collecting all kinds of natural trouble: snow, rain, twigs, leaves, grass, mulch and other debris. Excess rain and snow melt can cause flooding, mildew or rot. Ice heaves create cracks in the foundation. Leaves and debris can clog drains and damage your storm windows. A window well cover, which is a durable piece of plastic that fits snugly over the exterior opening of your window well, denies access to unwanted outdoor debris while still allowing egress from the inside. Safety – Having window wells around your home can create additional safety hazards. Sometimes they can be real eyesores, so homeowners attempt to hide them behind bushes or other landscaping. Not a bad idea, but even when hidden, it doesn’t solve the fact that you have a gaping hole near your home. Small children and pets can find anything, even when they’re not looking, and wells can be a serious danger to passing children or animals. Basement window well covers act as an extension of the ground and can hold up to several hundred pounds of weight to prevent accidental falls. They also have traction to avoid slips and are often flush with the ground to evade possible trips. Security – Egress are built to allow easy escape from inside your home, but it also creates possible exterior access as well. Since they’re at ground level, egress windows can be tempting to potential burglars. Many basement window well covers come with security features, such as easy-to-use locks that even children are able to use from the inside but are unreachable from the outside. Window well covers also guard against pest infestation, as animals or insects would regularly try to use these large holes as a cozy den or secluded nest. If you are considering hiring a professional to manufacture and install your window well covers, consider using Rockwell, Inc. Based in Utah, they know the hazards associated with Utah’s dry summer heat and heavy winter snowfalls. They manufacture window well covers that can hold up to 500 lbs of weight and include UV light protection. Keep your home and family safe by installing window well covers over your egress windows.
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Rockwell, window well covers, egress, window wells,
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