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What you can do about the hidden danger around your home

What you can do about the hidden danger around your home

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As much peace of mind as home ownership can offer, everyone knows maintaining a well-functioning, handsome looking home can be a LOT of work. There are almost innumerable systems and components to a modern home that need to be in good working order for the home to be secure and comfortable for you and your family. And some dangers we don’t even think of until it’s too late.

If you have a basement, as so many of us do along the Wasatch Front, you may never have even thought about the window wells built around your basement windows. But if your window wells are uncovered, you could potentially have a whole host of issues on your hands. Don’t believe it? Read on to find out more about some potentially serious problems.

1. Accidents

Having a window well without a cover is like keeping an open pit in your yard. In April, a moose fell into a Hailey, Idaho family’s basement through their uncovered window well, causing an hours-long ordeal with numerous local safety and wildlife agencies working to remove the animal safely and keep the family out of harm’s way. And across the U.S., more and more insurance companies are requiring homeowners to securely cover their window wells.

Even if your insurance company doesn’t demand it, investing in good window well covers is a simple and inexpensive way to make your home safer. And, fortunately, they don’t have to be an eyesore or stick out like an ugly thumb in your yard. Custom fit window well covers can blend seamlessly with the exterior of your home and provide safety not just for uninvited guests, but also for you children, loved ones, and pets.

2. Intruders

Have you ever worried about intruders sneaking into your basement? Uncovered window wells can be a quick and hard-to-spot place for a burglar to break into your home. But a sturdy, well-fitting window well cover, with a foolproof and simple to use locking device, can keep out even the most determined criminals. And in the case of fire or other emergency requiring quick evacuation from the home, they can easily be unlocked for a quick exit from the home, which can be even faster with a quality window well ladder.

3. Water and Debris

Window wells are a critical safety feature in your home. Across the country, home building codes require any basement room used as a bedroom to have an accessible window exit set up for an easy escape or for rescue personnel to enter the building. Even if your basement isn’t a bedroom, you can safeguard your house and family by installing egress wells outside your windows.

However, doing so, you can also invite problems like water damage in your basement or debris buildup that damages the exterior of your home. Rain, snow, and yard debris are all potential threats to your basement, and uncovered window wells are their best entrance. In winter, as melting snow and ice leak into a home through the open basement window well, mold can grow due to the moisture seeping into the foundation. A well-fitted custom polycarbonate cover can keep your wells dry year round and provide extra security for your home as well.

4. Rodent Infestation

Especially in the colder months, rodents are known to seek shelter inside. A mouse or rat can enter a home through a hole the size of a coin. Walk around the outside and inside of your home’s foundation and seal cracks using dense, sturdy materials like copper wool. Determined critters can quickly chew through caulking and loose wood siding. Be sure also to check your window wells. If a rodent falls in one, he may make a nest or begin eating through your window seal.

Again, all potential problems that can all be avoided with the installation of quality, fitted covers secured in your window well.

To find out about special summer pricing, and for any more information, check with Wasatch Covers today.

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Wasatch Window Well Covers

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