# Flattening window well flanges



## cedricmeier (Aug 1, 2017)

Good day all,

I just had a flood in my basement where all the water was leaking into my window wells through the gap between the flanges and the foundation. Had a look at the window wells and they have become loose from the foundation. They are getting old so i am just gonna replace them instead of repairing the currently installed ones. The new window wells i have have corrugated flanges but i would like to (at least partially) flatten the flanges so that they sit flush against the foundation and would stop most water from entering that way. Does anyone have any tips on how to flatten the corrugated flanges? Could i just pound on it with a hammer or would this cause stress fractures in the metal? Again, they don't need to be perfectly flat, just a bit flatter so that i have less of a gap. I will be using construction adhesive on the flanges before i mount the window wells, but I would prefer not to have a 1" gap (the valleys of the corrugated steel are about 1" deep) filled with construction adhesive if possible.

Thanks so much


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

They should flatten pretty easily. 

Two blocks of wood and you should be good.


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## cedricmeier (Aug 1, 2017)

Thanks for your help. Do you mean that I should sandwich the flange between 2 blocks of wood and hit the blocks with a hammer?


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Perhaps the wrong size was installed on your home?? 

From memory and a refresh by looking at this page, https://www.lowes.com/pd/CMI-Vent-Well-20-in-x-8-in-x-12-in/3284514 , the flange is already flat on the ones I used.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,.... I caution flattenin' corrugated flanges, as flattenin' corrugations creates a longer piece of metal,....


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## cedricmeier (Aug 1, 2017)

Colbyt said:


> Perhaps the wrong size was installed on your home??
> 
> From memory and a refresh by looking at this page, https://www.lowes.com/pd/CMI-Vent-Well-20-in-x-8-in-x-12-in/3284514 , the flange is already flat on the ones I used.


Thanks for your reply Colbyt. The new window wells that i ordered are 8" higher than the old ones so that i can raise them higher off ground level and also install the well deeper in the hole. Unfortunately, the company that had to custom-make my window wells only offers the flanges as corrugated.


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## cedricmeier (Aug 1, 2017)

Bondo said:


> Ayuh,.... I caution flattenin' corrugated flanges, as flattenin' corrugations creates a longer piece of metal,....


Thanks for your reply Bondo. I was thinking about that as well. Maybe I could cut a small slit in each corrugated valley so that if i flatten the flanges down, the metal will overlap. Then i would use construction adhesive between the flanges and foundation to create a good seal. What do you think?


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

I wouldn't cut the flange into little tabs. You are giving up a lot of strength.

I don't know how they fabricated your window well, but the fold line should be a lot flatter than the outside edge of the flange. I'd run a bead or two down the flange next to fold line, before installing against the house.
As long as it seals at that point, you don't have to fill the the entire width of the flange.


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## cedricmeier (Aug 1, 2017)

Oso954 said:


> I wouldn't cut the flange into little tabs. You are giving up a lot of strength.
> 
> I don't know how they fabricated your window well, but the fold line should be a lot flatter than the outside edge of the flange. I'd run a bead or two down the flange next to fold line, before installing against the house.
> As long as it seals at that point, you don't have to fill the the entire width of the flange.


Thanks for your reply. That makes sense to me. Can you recommend a sealant or would standard construction adhesive work?


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

I would use Sikaflex concrete fix.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sikaflex-10-1-fl-oz-Concrete-Fix-187783/202529331


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

You don't want to seal it, If you seal it and the water pressure build up behind it what ever you do will fail. So plan on dealing with water in the first place. When you install a new one with a drain for water also back fill the outside with gravel and you will not build up enough water to come gushing it it will just drain away as it arrives.


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## cedricmeier (Aug 1, 2017)

Nealtw said:


> You don't want to seal it, If you seal it and the water pressure build up behind it what ever you do will fail. So plan on dealing with water in the first place. When you install a new one with a drain for water also back fill the outside with gravel and you will not build up enough water to come gushing it it will just drain away as it arrives.


That makes sense...I didn't even think about that. Could I seal it with the sikaflex and back fill the outside with gravel as well. That way the pressure shouldn't build up enough for the sikaflex to fail?


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

cedricmeier said:


> That makes sense...I didn't even think about that. Could I seal it with the sikaflex and back fill the outside with gravel as well. That way the pressure shouldn't build up enough for the sikaflex to fail?


I wouldn't seal it at all with gravel on the outside to it will drain water at or near the bottom.As the gravel fills with mud that draining moves up. If you have it sealed and the mud plugs the grave you are building pressure. 

If the rest of you perimeter drain is working non of this is an issue and no sealer is needed anyway,


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## cedricmeier (Aug 1, 2017)

Nealtw said:


> I wouldn't seal it at all with gravel on the outside to it will drain water at or near the bottom.As the gravel fills with mud that draining moves up. If you have it sealed and the mud plugs the grave you are building pressure.
> 
> If the rest of you perimeter drain is working non of this is an issue and no sealer is needed anyway,


Sounds like a plan! The last thing i need is another leaky basement  Thanks so much for your help.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Didn't read everything carefully...but window wells are not really meant to deal with water. They are meant to keep dirt from covering your window....whether it is a small basement window or a large egress window that allows you to finish your basement. Water should just drain out. Ron


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

I would get some lengths of steel angle-iron and fasten that to the wall, and then at every second or third hump that touches the angle-iron, put in a nut and bolt. Caulk on the dirt-side if you can get at it.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

ChuckF. said:


> I would get some lengths of steel angle-iron and fasten that to the wall, and then at every second or third hump that touches the angle-iron, put in a nut and bolt. Caulk on the dirt-side if you can get at it.



Really nice suggestion.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

ChuckF. said:


> I would get some lengths of steel angle-iron and fasten that to the wall, and then at every second or third hump that touches the angle-iron, put in a nut and bolt. Caulk on the dirt-side if you can get at it.


They are galvanized and that will pop off when metal is worked and then it will rust sooner.:vs_cool:


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