Window well covers
In a city that averages around 90 inches of snow a year, a well cover does a lot of work. It also has to get out of the way in an emergency.
An uncovered well collects snow, leaves, trash and the occasional rabbit. Fill it with a drift and the escape route is gone. A cover keeps the well clear and can let in light, but it becomes part of the escape path, so the code treats it seriously.
What does the code say about covers?
The 2020 Minnesota Residential Code allows bars, grilles, covers and screens over an escape opening only if the minimum opening size is still met and the cover can be released or removed from inside without a key, a tool, special knowledge, or force beyond what it takes to open the window normally. The state fact sheet also notes that the code has no requirement for guards over window wells, but encourages homeowners to weigh the fall risk, especially around children, and make sure any guard doesn't block escape.
Types of covers
- Clear domes and lean-tos. Shed snow and rain while letting in light. Look for ones rated to carry a snow load.
- Flat polycarbonate on a frame. Sit flush with the ground, easier to mow around and often stronger.
- Steel grates. Strong enough to walk on in some designs, but let snow through unless paired with a clear panel.
- Custom covers. Built to fit odd-shaped or terraced wells.
What to look for in a Duluth winter
- A rated load that suits heavy, wet spring snow, not just a dusting
- Hardware a child or a groggy adult can work from inside the well
- Hinges or lift points that won't freeze shut; ask how the design handles ice
- A secure fit so drifting snow doesn't blow in around the edges
Test it
Once the cover is on, open the window and push the cover open from inside the well yourself. If you can't do it easily, neither can a child at night. Ask the installer to show everyone in the house how it works.
The installer prices the job after seeing the wall, the yard outside it and the room inside. We don't quote prices, and a number given over the phone before anyone has looked at the foundation is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can I lock my window well cover from the outside?
Not if the window is an egress window. The cover has to be removable from inside without a key, tool or special knowledge.
Will a clear cover stop the well from flooding?
It keeps out snow and most rain, which helps, but it doesn't fix a missing drain or bad grading. Treat drainage separately.
Related services
- Egress window installation
- Cutting and enlarging openings
- Window wells and ladders
- Basement bedroom code compliance
More background: Duluth egress window guide.
Finishing the basement or adding a bedroom down there?
Call now and a local egress installer will look at the wall and quote the opening, the window and the well.