Category Archives: Blog

What is the Best Flooring for a Basement Cement Floor?

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On top of having a window well for light in your basement, consider putting in new flooring, if your basement is just concrete. Both will provide warmth and give your home character.

Not sure what’s best? Stay tuned. In today’s blog, we’ll discuss the best types of flooring to install.

What is the Best Flooring for Basements?

When it comes to padding your cold basement, the best flooring carries with it several options with which to choose and is entirely dependent on your desires. The only flooring not recommended would be solid hardwood and laminate flooring made with a fiberboard core that’s not treated for moisture resistance. Both types absorb moisture and will warp and buckle. Some options to consider include:

  • Engineered wood
  • Ceramic tile
  • Rubber
  • Laminate (made with moisture-resistant plywood core)
  • Epoxy floor coatings
  • Vinyl tile

Let’s delve more into the types of flooring, so you can decide what’s best for your home.

Different Types of Basement Flooring

1. Engineered Wood

You can have the best of both worlds with engineered wood flooring. You get the warmth and beauty of real wood, but with a stable, moisture-resistant benefit. All you need to do is click together the tiles and planks, once the ground is prepped. Note: ensure the type you choose is for below-grade basements.

2. Ceramic Tile

Designers love this type of flooring due to its versatility. You choose from many different colors and styles and eliminate the worry of moisture. You apply ceramic tile directly onto concrete that’s smooth and best of all, free of cracks.

3. Rubber Flooring

This flooring is popular with DIYs since it comes in sheets with interlocking edges you can easily install. You have many colors to choose that you can use to create some fun designs. Rubber floors are the perfect choice for families with children.

4. Epoxy Floor Coatings

If you want hard surface flooring, epoxy is a good choice. And, because it comes in many colors, it won’t be hard to find the perfect match. It’s also waterproof and easy to apply.

Vinyl Tile

This tile goes directly over prepared concrete and can withstand minor flooding with no adverse effects. It provides some cushioning underfoot and is less expensive than ceramic. If you want a vinyl that mimics ceramic, real stone, or even wood, spend a little extra on the vinyl tile; people won’t even know the difference.

Things to Consider

A concrete basement is porous and prone to moisture or water vapor coming up through the slab. Although the flooring is typically unaffected, you still need to ensure mold and mildew can’t grow underneath your basement flooring. Or in cases of flooding, ensure you have a sealed window well, preferably with a cover.

Try installing a vapor barrier, such as sheet plastic, or seal the slab with paint or epoxy coating made for damp concrete floors and walls. You can also raise the floor with a waterproof subfloor. It works by using interlocking plastic tiles elevated on grids, thus creating an air space below the floor.

Contact Windowell Expressions

In addition to new basement flooring, consider replacing your window wells or installing foundation liners. We can help you choose the best ones for your home, so call us today.

   

Teaching Children To Stay Safe Around Window Wells

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If your home boasts a basement, then you probably have a window well. Window wells are designed to let natural light into your basement, and although they come with several benefits, they also pose a safety hazard to your children.

Continue reading to learn more about window well safety as it pertains to your kids. 

Explain What Window Wells Are

Although you don’t think much about your window wells, your kids probably do. Children are incredibly observant, and they’ll wonder what the window well is for. Your kids don’t know any better, and they might think going down the well is a fun adventure. A curious child might lean too far and fall in. 

Falling into a window well can result in injuries, and you don’t want your kids to end up with scrapes and bruises that could’ve been prevented. Explain to your kids that window wells aren’t a secret hang out spot to read books or play dollhouse in. Additionally, you can build a fence around it; however, you must remember it also serves as an emergency exit. You may not want to obstruct the path surrounding the window well in case you ever need to run out of your basement. 

Talk About the Dangers of Critters

Chipmunks, sparrows, field mice, rats, and snakes might use your window well for refuge. Although your kids might find these rodents cute, you have to teach them they aren’t friends. Let your kids know about the dangers associated with these critters, such as poisonous bites or rabies. You probably don’t want to scare them, but sometimes it’s the only way to get them to understand a difficult situation. 

If your children insist on playing with the animals hiding inside the well, you should adopt a family pet. Don’t let them become close with the potentially dangerous garden snake living inside your well for warmth. 

Keep Your Kids Away from Debris

Uncovered window wells usually become a bowl of twigs, leaves, and other debris. If your kids are bored, they might make their way into the well in hopes of finding buried treasure. They will come out of the well covered in dirt or mud. Window wells are especially hazardous after heavy rain because they’re full of water; this can become a drowning hazard for your kids. 

Window Well Covers Are the Solution

Every window well requires a sturdy, high-quality, window well cover to make it as durable and safe as possible. A window well isn’t useful if it’s always full of debris and snow, but a properly fitted cover will keep it in top shape. Best of all, it will protect your children from falling inside. 

Contact Windowell Expressions

Windowell Expressions specializes in making the window well covers for any size and shape of well. Our experts will build a cover right at your house and install it to ensure a perfect fit for your well. The installation process takes us about one hour so that we won’t take up too much of your time. Contact us today. 

   

How To Make Your Window Wells Look Beautiful (With or Without Liners)

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Window wells have largely been neglected in many homes as just a protective element and something to allow light in; however, cleaning them up and making them look appealing can do wonders for your home’s aesthetics. 

With more families spending time in their basement, cleaning out the cobwebs and installing unique interest makes sense. Discover the ways in which to make your window wells look attractive with or without using liners.

From the Inside

Instead of looking out a dull and lifeless metal window well from your basement, give it life with color and many options in which to choose. First, give them a good cleaning, inspecting them for any water damage, taking caution to ensure no water can penetrate the well. Next, incorporate interest that fits your style and personality. If you have kids in the basement, tailor the window wells to fit their style, so they feel comfortable; it may also help them feel safer in their surroundings–particularly for small children.

From the Outside

An attractive window well that matches an equally beautiful landscape makes for an impressive curb appeal. For safety around little kids, a window well cover is a must, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it look attractive around the area. Building a garden box gives your home a facelift, due to the increased interest and landscape beauty. You can also create a rock bed around the cover, which offers low maintenance. 

Beauty with Liners

Window well liners allow a different view outside. Liners are the most commonly nonstructural and semiflexible plastics molded to reflect a scenery, such as with rock, a rainforest, or landscape paintings. Imagine looking out a serene, blue ocean or a gorgeous fall scene instead of a dull and dirty window well. There’s also faux rock window well that offers garden steps for planting; this invites a warm and inviting feel to a cold basement. 

Best thing is, liners are easy to install and transforms your window well instantly.

Beauty without Liners

You can also create a warm and inviting feel without window well liners. Painting window wells is a trend that offers several different looks, depending on your style. You can also plant ivy or other clinging plants on the egress of the window well. Of course, with small children, install a window well cover for safety and to keep out unwelcome critters. A clear plastic cover still allows light inside and easily removable if needed. A great idea is to add small steps into the window well, to make it easier to escape in case of an emergency.  

Build a beautiful stone wall that captures your attention or fill your window well with holiday decor. Try a Halloween graveyard or small evergreen trees decorated with lights for Christmas, get creative, and watch your basement transform into a fun environment.

Call Windowell Expressions

Whether you opt for window well liners or not, we can help. If you need covers or want to try liners, give us a call. We can answer your questions and offer the best options for your needs, desires, and budget. Contact us today.

How Water Damage Can Impact Your Foundation

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Every house needs a strong foundation to shoulder its weight and to separate wooden materials from contact with dirt. Homes with a weak foundation are at risk of experiencing a rotting foundation, and they’re more likely to experience a termite infestation. Concrete is the most popular material for home foundations because it’s resistant, but exposure to water can still weaken your foundation.

Water is hazardous to your home’s foundation because your foundation is entirely or partially buried in wet soil, meaning there are areas of your house that are always wet. Rainwater can ruin your foundation’s structural integrity. Here are the main ways in which water impacts your home’s foundation. 

Hydrostatic Pressure

Rainwater causes more than just basement leaks. If the soil around your home’s foundation is oversaturated with water, the resulting hydrostatic pressure will push your basement’s walls inward. Shifting basement walls will result in cracked walls, which will eventually spread to your roof. All of this can occur suddenly, gradually, or during a period of heavy rain. 

Erosion

Puddles of rainwater or underground springs can slowly wash away the dirt that supports your home’s foundation, which will lead to foundation settlement. Foundation settlement in a structure refers to the distortion of parts of a building, due to uneven compression or shrinkage in the foundation. Early foundation settlement signs are subtle; as a result, homeowners are likely to ignore these signs. As the months go by, the signs of foundation settlement become apparent, and your house will require professional intervention at this point. Signs of late-stage foundation settlement include:

  • Sinking foundation
  • Unlevel floors
  • Stubborn doors and windows that refuse to close properly
  • Drywall cracks
  • Tilting chimneys 

Don’t ignore early foundation settlement because the longer you wait, the more expensive home repairs become. In the worst-case scenario, your home may become inhabitable. 

Expanding Soils

Depending on the region you live in, your soil may be classified as clay-rich. Soils rich in clay are rich in nutrients, making them fertile. Fertile soil is highly absorbent, so this type of soil can absorb large quantities of water; this is terrible news because clay-rich soil will expand when saturated with water. Expanded soil applies an enormous amount of pressure against foundation walls, causing your foundation to crack and shift. 

Preventing Foundation Problems

Small puddles in basement floors or a crack on a basement wall are problems homeowners think they can push to the side. Some homeowners fail to realize, foundation problems, big or small, must be taken seriously before these issues cause structural damage. Although one puddle isn’t enough of a threat to your entire property, sometimes one puddle becomes multiple puddles. Having an uncovered window well puts your basement at significant risk of experiencing water damage. Remember, water damage and foundation problems go hand-in-hand. 

One of the best ways to prevent water damage in your basement is by shielding your window well with a cover. Windowell Expressions manufactures window well covers of all shapes and sizes. Protect your window well and your basement before your foundation suffers. Contact Windowell Expressions today.

Do Window Well Covers Impact Curb Appeal?

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If you’re in the process of selling your home, you’re probably pulling all the strings to improve your home’s curb appeal. Curb appeal is the first impression that a person has of your home when they’re looking at it from a street curb. Ever since you became a homeowner, you’ve done everything in your power to make sure that your home’s value doesn’t depreciate. Property value and curb appeal go hand in hand, and if your home’s curb appeal is attractive to potential buyers, then you’ll receive an offer in no time. 

While you’ve been paying extra attention to your home’s interior and flower beds that adorn your front lawn, you’ve forgotten one of the essential parts of your home—your window well. How is your window well looking these days? If your window well has been ignored for too long, the chances are that it’s looking rough by now. The last thing you want is your window well to be flooded with leaves from last year’s autumn. After you’ve performed a window well inspection, you should install window well covers. A window well cover is a sheet of material designed to fit over the top of an exposed window well to cover it. 

Window Well Covers Secure Your Home

You probably think that window well covers won’t make much of a difference. After all, who actually hangs out by their window wells? Although window well maintenance sounds like a minor concern, it’s a serious matter. Exposed window wells can lead to a collection of debris stuck in your window well that will make their way into your basement. Moreover, bare window wells pose a safety risk—an uncovered window well can be used as an entrance by burglars. These are hazards that you don’t want to expose your family or a potential buyer too. 

Window Well Covers Boost Your Home’s Value

Installing a cover to your window well shows potential buyers that you are serious about your sale and that you have taken tremendous care of your home throughout the years. A secure cover is a proof that the rest of your home is well-kept, and it’s a small detail that will go a long way with buyers. Buyers will notice anything that seems off about your home; a window well that has become a haven for animals, snow, leaves, and other elements will deter a buyer from making an offer. Even if you’re doing everything else right when it comes to selling your home, it only takes a couple of mistakes for a prospective buyer to turn the other way. 

Additionally, a customized window well cover will compliment your home. Quality window well covers are crafted to bring out the best in your landscaping, and they come in a multitude of heights and shapes. 

Give your home’s curb appeal one last improvement by installing a window well cover. Windowell Expressions makes window well covers for wells of all shapes and sizes. Contact us today. 

   

How Do Window Well Covers Protect Your Home

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Your family’s safety is your main priority, and you take every measure possible to make sure they’re protected. Ensuring that your doors and windows are locked each time you leave the house is part of your routine. However, making sure that your home’s doors are locked is only part of the equation—what about your window wells? 

Window wells often don’t receive the same level of attention as other parts of your house, which is unfortunate because so many things can go wrong if your window wells are uncovered. If someone in your home is using the basement as their living space, it’s required by law to install egress windows to be able to escape in case of an emergency.

Window well covers are essential to maintain your window wells in top shape. Below are some of the dangers that a strong cover can protect your home from. 

Guard Your Children and Pets

Wells around your home aren’t the most attractive, and some homeowners go to great lengths to hide them from the public eye. Some homeowners attempt to conceal their window wells by planting shrubs and trees in front of them. While adding flora around your window well looks aesthetically pleasing, doing this poses a safety hazard to your young ones and pets. Wandering children and pets trying to get fresh air run the risk of falling into your exposed window wells, and the risks increase if your window well is hiding. A custom window well cover can act as an extension of the ground, and it’s capable of holding up to 400 pounds of weight. Installing a cover to your window well is the best way to prevent injuries. 

Protect Your Home from Damage

Can you believe that window well covers protect your home and not just your window well? Unprotected window wells can become a bowl of debris; water from rain or snow, mulch, leaves and twigs, and grass can all make their way into your window well. An excess in rain or snowmelt will cause your window well to flood. Leaves (while pretty to look at) can clog drains and severely damage your storm windows. Each season introduces new debris to your window well, and a cover will keep your window well and the rest of your house clean and safe. 

Keep Strangers Away

Unfortunately, your window wells are an opportune hide-out for burglars while they wait for the perfect moment to invade your home. This is not a pleasant subject to think about, but to keep your family and sacred belongings safe, you must secure your window wells. Fortunately, newer window wells come with security features such as simple-to-use locks. You will be able to crack the lock open from the inside, but these locks are impossible to open from the outside. 

Don’t wait any longer—protect your entire home from unwanted situations with a window well cover. Windowell Expressions is your go-to place for all your window well needs, so contact us today. 

   

3 Reasons You Need Window Well Liners

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Have you ever stared at your window well and wondered how you could improve its appearance? Currently, your window well looks boring. Window wells secure your basement, provide your basement with natural light, give your basement ventilation, increase your home’s value, and most importantly, they keep your family safe by serving as an emergency exit. For all the ways that your window well protects you, you should thank it by giving it a makeover with a beautiful, quality window well liner. 

1. Window Well Liners Add a Finishing Touch

Window well liners are the finishing touch that pulls the entire look of your home together. As a homeowner, you paint your walls and make sure that your home’s exterior is eye-catching. The window well outside of your home is part of your house too, and there’s nothing more embarrassing than when your neighbors realize that your window wells are a dull grey. Moreover, some window wells face high traffic areas of your home, such as the kitchen. Don’t you want your dinner guests to see a classy looking window well liner for when they peer into your window wells? Admit it, your window well draws attention, and you’ve probably heard “What’s that?” from your visitors several times by now. A window well liner will draw in compliments. 

2. Window Well Liners Add Endless Possibilities 

The best part about the window well liners? There are limitless options when it comes to selecting a liner. Whether you want a complementary design, a pop of vibrant color, or a piece that effortlessly blends in with surrounding textures and colors, you’ll be sure to find a liner that satisfies both you and your family. Don’t settle for looking at a metal well. Bring the beach to your home or travel to space each time you step into your basement with a scenic window well liner mural. These types of window well liners are available in practically any natural scenery you can think of, and in any size, too. 

Window Well Liners Are Cost-Effective

Now that you know you can customize your window well liner to practically any image, you’ll probably want to change your window well liner to match significant holidays. Fortunately for you, window well liners are fast and straightforward to replace—best of all, they also aren’t too costly. Homeowners have the freedom of changing their window well liner’s look at their discretion. Go for a more festive look during the holiday season, then brighten the scenery up with a spring look once the holidays are over. Although one of the benefits of a window well liner is that they’re durable and built to last for years, this doesn’t mean that you should feel stuck with a previously selected pattern or color. Seasonally swapping out your window well liner is one of the best and cheapest ways to change up the look of your home without investing much time or money. 

Are you ready to give your window wells a makeover? Call Windowell Expressions today! Our installation process takes under one hour. 

   

Different Kinds of Window Well Covers

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Many factors go into selecting the right window well cover for your home’s window well. A window well cover is a material that is designed to go over the window well of a basement window. Window well covers serve a variety of purposes and can prevent falls into the basement window, as well as buildups of snow and water. When selecting a well cover, you’ll have to consider practical concerns, such as ensuring that your cover properly fits both your window well and the window that you’re protecting. After all, your window well provides your basement with protection and can serve as a secret exit in case of an emergency. Treat your window well the same way you treat other parts of your home and secure it with a cover. 

Atrium and Slant Dome Covers

Dome window well covers sit above the level of the ground and are ideal for windows and vents. These covers are perfect for casement-style windows that crank outward from the building. Even if you have a basement window that’s entirely below ground level, there’s much to like about a dome-shaped cover, which includes its picturesque appearance from your home’s curb appeal. Dome window wells are typically constructed of sturdy polycarbonate and can hold over 400 pounds of weight. For these reasons, these windows well covers are practically impenetrable, even in the most severe impacts or falls. At a minimum, these covers can remain in top condition for a decade without facing any discoloration.

Sloped and Bubble-Shaped Window Well Covers

Both sloped and bubble-shaped window well covers are popular among homeowners, and they share many impressive qualities. Sloped covers are flat and lower to the ground, whereas bubble-shaped covers boast a rounded dome-shaped. They both prevent water damage to your home and window well by shedding water, snow, and ice away. Additionally, both sloped and bubble-shaped window well covers are easy to maintain; they merely require a quick spray with a hose. 

Flat Window Well Covers

Of all the various kinds of window well covers, flat covers are the most self-explanatory. Lying flat upon the ground, this type of cover is the best way to keep water, dirt, debris, and rodents out of your window well, and by extension, out of your home. Although flat covers don’t shed water away from your home like other types of window well covers, they are durable, easy to clean, customizable to fit your window perfectly and let plenty of natural light into your basement. 

Considerations for Your Window Well Cover

The most crucial factor to keep in mind when shopping for a window well cover is the size of your basement window well. Each window well cover on this list has slightly different dimensions, so be careful when making your final choice. Moreover, you’ll need to consider the shape of your window well, as most window wells are rounded, but some are rectangular. 

If you’re looking to cover your window well, contact Windowell Expressions. We haven’t met a window well yet that we couldn’t cover, so give us a call today.

Will a Foundation Liner Damage My Home’s Foundation?

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You actively ensure that your home’s interior is up-to-date and in pristine condition, but you probably don’t give much consideration to your home’s exterior, much less its foundation. Foundation is the base of your home; it’s what keeps your walls standing. Although your foundation is strong and is designed to carry tons of weight, it is still susceptible to substantial damage. The good news is that damage can be preventable by installing a foundation liner. 

Foundation liners protect your home’s foundation, and by extension, the rest of your home. You don’t have to worry about a liner harming your foundation, the real threats to your foundation are nature’s elements. Water damage is the fastest way to wear down your foundation. Not only is water damage unattractive, but it’s also a safety hazard to your family. Water damage can be caused by heavy rains or melting snow. An excess of water will inundate your basement and expose the rest of your home to mold. This will decrease your home’s value. Avoid paying for a costly foundation repair down the line by being proactive. Install a foundation liner before water damage has a chance to impact your home. 

How do foundation liners protect my home from water damage? 

2018 marked the wettest year for the United States since 1890. Floods were at an all-time high, including in cities that hardly experience heavy rains. One heavy rainfall is enough to damage your home’s foundation. Your home’s foundation is likely made of concrete or bricks, which can handle roughhousing. However, these materials are not resistant to water damage. In fact, these materials are extremely susceptible to damage when exposed to large amounts of water. You cannot afford to overlook inevitable water damage to your foundation.

How do I spot water-related issues on my foundation? 

Some signs of water damage to your home’s foundation are easy to spot, while others are less noticeable. Every homeowner must be aware of the following: standing water inside your basement, rusted metal pipes inside your home, wall stains, and wall cracks. According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, 60% of Americans have a wet basement. 38% of wet basements run the risk of growing basement mold. You need to act immediately because wherever there’s moisture, mold grows and spreads fast. Mold won’t just stay in your basement—it’ll compromise your entire house. Your interior carpeting or hardwood floors will be covered in mold. If you store valuable items in your basement, they will also fall victim to mold infestation. Water damage to your home’s foundation is a threat to the longevity of your home. In severe cases, the foundation of your home will begin to shift. 

Don’t neglect the early signs of environmental stress on your home’s foundation. The last thing you want is for your home’s foundation to crack, settle unevenly, or shift. One of the best investments you will make on your home is protecting it with a foundation liner. This investment will save you from the monetary and emotional stress of a home that’s falling apart in the future. Call Windowell Expressions today and our experts will help you upgrade your home. 

How To Install a Window Well Liner

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You don’t think too much about your window well, but by having a window well installed around your windows, you have made a wise decision that will benefit the maintenance of your home. Window wells are an investment that blocks water from seeping into your windows, and they also prevent water damage on your window frames when it rains. It’s becoming more common to see window wells installed around your basement windows, as they allow sunlight to enter your basement. 

Although window wells are functional, they are not the prettiest to look at. This is where window well liners come into the equation. Make your window wells look as attractive as the rest of your home with a window well liner that hugs around the inside of your window well. You’ve already invested in your window well, so you should also invest in something that will complement it.

Window well liners will add a much-needed pop of color to your basement. Install a window well liner at home by doing the following: 

How to Install a Window Well Liner 

Step 1: Measure your window well. Check the width of your window well from the front to the very back that touches your house. Once you have your window well liner, center your liner over your window well. Most of your liner will be supported by the edges of your window well. 

Step 2: On both sides of your window well liner, measure approximately 4-6 inches off from the edge that presses against your house. Cover these points with painter’s tape. Mark your tape where the window well edges touch your liner. 

Step 3: Remove the liner from the edges of your window well. Place a scrap of wood beneath the plastic under one of your marked pieces of tape. Drill a hole bigger than the diameter of the screws that came with your liner. The piece of wood is meant to prevent damage to your liner as you drill. Make sure the prongs are grabbing the edges of your liner. 

Although you can get away with installing a window well liner on your own, most of the ones sold at hardware stores are made of plastic. Plastic window well liners will need to be replaced eventually, and they will not add value to your home. It’s essential that your window wells are lined with quality materials, as not all liners can be perfectly secured. These liners run the risk of falling off your window well. This will burden your window well’s drainage system, and by extension, burden the rest of your home. A broken window well liner will clog your drains. 

You can invest in a high-quality window well liner that is personable and will increase your home’s value. You can even have fun with the colors of your liner. Here at Windowell Expressions, we can help you with your window well liner needs. We offer our Aspen Creek liner, which is a combination of rocks that are red, dark tan, gray, and brown. If you’re looking for something neutral, we have the Italian Style liner, which is a nice, light color that’s universal and will match your home. We’ll install your window well liner in one hour, so give Windowell Expressions a call today!