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foundation plantings and basement window wells
Our 1886 home has a brownstone foundation and brick walls. There are many basement windows, each with an interior window that swings up inside and there are storms (Or screens with security bars) that fit on the outside that have hinges also at the top that then swing up and out.
The problem is that the window wells have filled with dirt and plants are growing up to and sometimes into the window. So I've started digging it out and discovered that the window sill is actually lower than what I thought was the window sill, and there is a brownstone sill underneath that. In two windows, the sill is completely rotted out. How do I go about gettting this fixed? I've got plenty of extra window parts to fit into the window space, but its the fixing of the sills that is a concern. Some of it still has to be excavated.
Note: we are in an urban area and so it's a tight space with many old maple trees on the sidewalk. These have a vast root network.
Any suggestions as to what the finished wells should look like- How close can plants be to the house? and ideas as to how to fix the sills and rotted parts of the frames, would be greatly appreciated. I'll try to post pics soon.
Tks.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by jane on -
first pass - written when I'm supposed to be doing income tax...
the leaves of the trees and other debris have filled your window wells over the years. Clean them out to the bottom, about 8" below the sill of the original window. Dig lower if you can and add gravel to help the water that gets into the wells drain.
You should have enough space between the house and your plantings for a child to run through. If you don't have enough space for good air flow you will rot the house, including eating away at your mortar. Cut back your plantings every year, or move them. Be sure the water than comes off your roof can move away from the house, not be trapped between the house and the plantings.
Victorian houses often had cut stone foundations which were supposed to show: no plantings. Perhaps there would be something farther out in the yard to show against the nicely placed and pointed stone work. The 1st floors of houses sat up above the ground ( ie: all that exposed foundation) because they had to dig those foundation holes by hand, so they only went down as far as they had to - to be below the freeze/ thaw line ( 3'-6" - 4'-0" in southern NE). Basements also had new uses: space for furnaces and plumbing, coal bins, cold cellars for canned vegetables and fruits, laundry spaces . Those spaces needed light, windows.
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