Leaking window wells are a very common occurrence in basements. Homeowners will more often notice window wells leaking in unfinished rather than finished basements. This is because water leaking has more space to spread via wood and finishing materials in a finished basement and thereby goes less noticed than in an unfinished basement where you can clearly see the water entering thru the window opening.

If the bottom portion of a window well is below ground it should have a drain. Installing a drain is not always easy especially if the window is very deep. Any drains should run off to a lower section of ground and daylight. They should not have their drains going directly downward to any drains below unless these are completely contained interior drains. This is because the lower you go outside the more water there is. It is very easy for lower exterior drainage pipes to become clogged and to cease draining.

The most ideal drain is one that drains to a controlled and contained system be it interior or exterior.