Basement flooding can be disastrous and make for a messy and expensive cleanup. Water can enter through window wells. If your basement has been flooded, check inside the basement below the window. Streaks and water stains in this spot indicate that water has entered through the window.
The key to stopping water entry is to pitch the surrounding soil away from the window well. This may require moving soil near the well and a few feet away. If the window and/or the window well is too low, raise them, or install an additional well.
There should be a foot or more of gravel inside the window well to allow water to drain. In fact, if you have a sump pump and drain tile system, you can dig down deeper to let water from the window well drain down to the drain tile.
What about window well covers, caulking, or sealing the window? Sorry, but these are generally a waste of time. They stop very little water, and such a seal will always leak.
It is also very important to maintain gutters and downspouts in the area. Make sure they are not overflowing or dumping water near the window.
