How Much Does it Cost to Install a Window Well Cover?

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Window well covers are designed to keep snow, rain, lawn and yard debris, and pests away from a home's foundation. They also prevent people and pets from falling into wells and ensure that would-be criminals don't have an easy means of exterior access. Covers are sold in numerous sizes, shapes, styles, and materials designed to fit small, medium, and egress-sized window wells.

Window Well Cover Considerations #

Installing a window well cover is a straightforward and inexpensive project, but choosing the right cover requires a bit of forethought. To find a unit that suits your particular needs, keep the following points in mind:

• Window well covers can be made from aluminum, steel, plastic, or polycarbonate (shatterproof plastic). Metal or polycarbonate (which is 250 times stronger than glass) should be used if one of your primary concerns is a cover that can support the weight of a person.
• Solid metal or colored plastic covers block sunlight, but they offer greater privacy. Translucent or metal grate covers allow light in.
• A cheap window cover will crack easily and might even blow away in strong wind. It's worth spending a little more money on a well-built cover that won't break and let in the very elements and creatures it's designed to keep out.
• A high-profile (bubble-type) cover fits a window that extends above the well height. If the top of the window is at the same height as or below the top of the well, a low-profile cover can be used.
• Adjustable covers allow for ventilation.
• If a window well is designed to serve as an egress window, it might need to meet certain accessibility requirements as specified by local building codes.
• Be sure to provide a service technician with a detailed description of the window well(s) to be covered (including the shape and size of the unit and whether it's made from metal, brick, or stone) as well as a rundown of features (transparency, accessibility, etc.) that are important to you.

Window Well Cover Costs #

• A decent quality translucent window well cover that fits a standard-sized, half moon-shaped window costs approximately $100, including professional installation by a carpenter or handyman.
• Window well covers cost around $20 to $120 depending on the size of the window. A homeowner with sufficient carpentry skills can save around $40 to $50 per cover by installing the unit himself or herself.

Use Our Free Service and Find Window Well Cover Companies Near You #