How to Mount an Egress Window Well

An egress window well serves one main purpose, which is to hold surrounding soil away from the egress window. To serve this purpose, a window well must be made of a sturdy material, such as metal. Holding the soil back not only keeps the window functional by allowing exit or entry, but it also prevents water in the soil from seeping through any gaps between the window and your home's foundation. Mounting the egress window well is done after the egress window has been installed. However, the hole for the egress window well is dug before the window installation begins.

Shovel
Tape measure
Level
Hand tamper
4-foot level
Washers
Self-tapping masonry screws
Drill
Phillips driving bit

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a hole in the ground underneath the spot where you will install the egress window. Make the hole 6 inches deeper than the egress window's bottom edge and at least 48 inches wide and long.
- 2
  Lay a level on the ground in the hole. Add or remove soil as necessary to make the ground level. Tamp the ground down with a hand tamper.
- 3
  Set the window well in the hole and position it so its side flanges press against the foundation. Lay a 4-foot level across the window well and adjust the well so it sits level in the hole.
- 4
  Slide a washer onto a self-tapping masonry screw. Drive the screw through the top screw hole in the egress window well's left-side flange. Check that the window well remains level. Slide a washer onto another self-tapping masonry screw and drive it through the top screw hole in the egress window well's right-side flange.
- 5
  Drive screws and washers through the remaining screw holes in both the left and right-side flanges. Backfill around the egress window well with the soil you removed when you dug the hole.

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