Window wells are like the secret villains of basement flooding—been there, dealt with that mess.
Man, window wells are sneaky. I tried the “quick fix” route with some caulk and plastic covers, but water still found a way in during a heavy downpour. Ended up digging out around the well and adding gravel for drainage—cheap but surprisingly effective. French drains are on my wish list, but for now, redirecting downspouts away from the house has helped a ton. Sometimes it’s just about stacking up enough little fixes to keep things manageable.
Stacking up those little fixes is honestly the way to go, especially if you’re not ready to drop serious cash on a full drainage overhaul. I’ve flipped a few older homes where the window wells were basically just water traps—no gravel, no drains, just a recipe for a soggy basement. Digging them out and adding gravel like you did makes a bigger difference than most people expect. It’s not glamorous, but it works.
Redirecting downspouts is another one that gets overlooked. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen folks spend on fancy waterproofing inside, but their gutters are dumping water right next to the foundation. Sometimes it’s the boring stuff—extending those downspouts, keeping gutters clear—that saves you from the big headaches.
French drains are great, but honestly, unless you’re seeing major flooding, you can get by with a combo of smaller fixes. One thing I’d add: check the grading around your house. If the soil slopes toward your foundation, you’re fighting an uphill battle no matter what else you do. I’ve had to regrade yards with just a shovel and some topsoil, and it made a world of difference.
Insulation-wise, I’m a big fan of closed-cell spray foam in basements, especially in flood-prone areas. It doesn’t soak up water like fiberglass batts, and it adds a bit of a moisture barrier. Not cheap, but if you’re already opening up walls to deal with water issues, it’s worth considering.
At the end of the day, it’s all about layers of defense. No single fix is going to be bulletproof, but enough of them together? You’ll keep your basement dry more often than not.
At the end of the day, it’s all about layers of defense. No single fix is going to be bulletproof, but enough of them together? You’ll keep your basement dry more often than not.
Couldn’t agree more on the “layers of defense” thing. I always say, if you’re relying on one magic product to save your basement, you’re basically asking for a wet sock surprise. That said, I’m a bit torn on closed-cell spray foam—yeah, it’s effective, but the environmental footprint makes me twitchy. I’ve had decent luck with mineral wool in combo with rigid foam panels (EPS or polyiso), especially if you’re careful about air gaps and vapor barriers. Not as sexy as spray foam, but at least I don’t feel like I’m wrapping my house in a plastic burrito.
Totally with you on the mineral wool and rigid foam combo. I’ve had to retrofit a 1920s basement, and honestly, spray foam just felt risky for old brick—plus, like you said, that plastic burrito vibe isn’t great. Careful detailing at the rim joist made a bigger difference than I expected. The trickiest part for me was always getting the vapor barrier right without trapping moisture in the wall. It’s a balancing act, especially with older homes that need to breathe a bit.
I get the hesitation around spray foam, especially with old brick. But I’ve actually had some success using closed-cell spray foam in a few century-old basements—though I’ll admit, it’s not always the right fit. The key for me was making sure the masonry could dry to the outside, and I only used spray foam on interior surfaces that weren’t showing any signs of moisture intrusion. It’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution, but in some cases, the air sealing benefits outweighed the risks.
On vapor barriers, I tend to lean toward vapor retarders instead of full barriers in these older homes. That way, you get some control without totally locking in moisture. I’ve seen a couple of projects where a heavy poly barrier actually made things worse over time, trapping humidity and leading to spalling on the brick. It’s tricky—sometimes less is more, especially if the house has survived a hundred years already.
