Window Well Flooding in Colorado Springs: Covers, Drains and Egress Safety

Updated November 9, 2026 · 5 min read

Why window wells fill up here

Snowmelt, over and over

Front Range snow tends to come in bursts and then melt in the sun. Snow that drifts into an open window well, or gets shoveled or plowed against the house, melts during the day and sits in the bottom of the well. If the gravel below is still frozen or the soil is saturated, it has nowhere to go. Repeat that across a winter and wells that look fine in summer start leaking in March.

Spring snowstorms are often heavy and wet, which makes them a common time for well flooding. A big March or April storm followed by a warm stretch dumps a lot of water against the foundation at once.

Summer storms and hail

July and August thunderstorms can drop heavy rain in a short time. Wells next to a downspout, a patio that drains toward the house, or a neighbor's yard that slopes your way catch that runoff fast. Hail adds another layer: a well filled with hailstones is basically a well full of ice that melts all at once. The storm and flood damage page covers what heavy summer storms do beyond the window wells.

Clay soil

Much of the area has expansive clay soils that swell when wet and drain slowly. Water that should soak away under the well sits instead, and the wet clay presses against the foundation. That is also why many newer subdivisions have foundation drains. The post on expansive soil and basement water explains how those soils affect the whole foundation, not just the wells.

How water gets from the well into the basement

• Around the window frame, when water rises above the bottom of the frame and finds gaps in caulk or flashing.
• Through the window itself, if the glass, seal or frame fails under the weight of standing water.
• Between the well liner and the foundation, if the well was not sealed or fastened tightly to the wall.
• Through the foundation wall below the window when the soil is saturated.

Finished basements in neighborhoods like Banning Lewis Ranch, Stetson Hills and around Falcon often have bedrooms with egress windows, so a flooded well usually means wet carpet, wet drywall and a soaked bedroom.

Window well covers

A cover keeps snow, leaves, hail and most rain out of the well. It is one of the simplest fixes available.

The egress rule that comes first

If the window is an egress window for a bedroom, the well is part of a fire escape route. Under current residential code, a cover or grate over an egress well has to open from inside without a key, tool or special knowledge, and without more force than it takes to operate the window. Do not screw a cover down, pile anything on it or let it freeze shut. After a snowstorm, check that egress covers can still be pushed open.

Egress wells also have size rules in current code. They generally need at least 9 square feet of floor area with no side shorter than 36 inches, and a well deeper than 44 inches needs a permanent ladder or steps. Older homes may have smaller wells built under older codes. If you are replacing a well or adding a basement bedroom, check with the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department about permit and code requirements.

Window well drains

Many wells have a drain at the bottom, often a pipe that runs down through the gravel to the foundation drain or sump system. When it works, water drops through the gravel and away. When it clogs, the well becomes a bathtub.

• Check the drain by pouring a bucket of water into the well on a dry day. It should drain away in minutes, not hours.
• Keep the drain cap clear of leaves and silt. A screened cap or a layer of clean gravel over it helps.
• Do not cover the drain with soil or landscape fabric.
• If you have a sump pump, make sure it is running. A failed sump means the window well drain has nowhere to empty. See sump pump and foundation underdrain problems.

Grading, gutters and downspouts

Most window well flooding starts with water that never should have reached the well.

• Extend downspouts several feet away from the house, and keep them away from wells.
• Make sure soil around the foundation slopes away from the house, not toward it.
• Fill low spots where water collects near wells.
• Keep gutters clear so they do not overflow onto the wells.
• Do not shovel or plow snow against the house or into the wells.

What to do if a window well is flooding now

1. Stay safe. Do not stand in water near outlets or extension cords in the basement.
2. Bail or pump out the well from outside if you can do it safely. A small utility pump works well.
3. Lay towels or a barrier along the inside of the window to slow the water.
4. Move belongings away from the wall and off the floor.
5. Take photos of the well, the window and the interior damage.
6. Call for emergency water extraction if water is already on the carpet.

Once water is in, carpet pad and the bottom of drywall soak it up quickly. A basement flooding crew can extract the water, pull wet pad, open walls where needed and dry the space so it does not turn into a mold problem.

What drives the cost of cleanup

The company that inspects gives a written figure before work starts. It depends on how much of the basement is wet, finished vs unfinished space, carpet and pad, drywall height affected, how long water sat, whether the water picked up soil and debris, and whether repairs to the well or window are part of the job. Insurance terms matter here too, since many policies handle surface water and groundwater differently from a burst pipe.

Sources and official resources

• Contractor license lookup (Pikes Peak Regional Building Department)
• Homeowners insurance help (Colorado Division of Insurance)
• IICRC: restoration industry standards body
• Flood insurance basics (FEMA FloodSmart)
• A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home (EPA)
• Colorado Springs weather warnings (National Weather Service, Pueblo)