Basement Window

[Manny]

Hi guys, it looks like you have a really nice friendly community going here. I've been lurking for a while absorbing lots of information, but now I have a question myself :wink:

I'm in the process of buying a listed Georgian terrace with a basement. It has an old coal shute, which from inside the basement looks quite neat and tidy. I'm sure you're familiar with the sort of thing - it's looks like a trial pit dug next to the basement wall which has been knocked through to the basement, bricked up and rendered, or concreted to make a nice tidy access from outside the house to the basement to shovel coal in.

Now, the previous owner has had this window installed to fit flush with the top of the shute, sort of like a small skylight. It's wired glass, looks unsightly and is broken. As a temporary measure this light has been boarded up for security.

What I'd like to do is install a proper window in the basement with a grate to the top of the shute. How practical is this? I've seen other houses with that basement window arrangement many times, but I'm sure there's more to it than simply getting ACME Windows around to stick a window in the basement, I mean what happens when it rains, where does all the water go? What about ventilation in the basement for the damp?

Many thanks in advance

[edit] I can't spell

 

[biffvernon]

Well, speaking as the proprietor of ACME Oak Windows R Us, I'm sure there's a solution, but a picture or diagram might help to find it. What's the problem with replacing the existing window like-ish for like?

 

[Manny]

Thanks for the reply Biff. This is the best picture I could find to show what I’m talking about:



That’s a little bit what I’d like to achieve, obviously the well in his picture has been made quite a bit bigger and they’ve put a bit of gravel down in there and a few plants – I’m not looking for any of that, just the window similar to this with a grate on the top to stop people getting in.

The situation at the moment is that the light well/coal chute just has a simple casement light at the top (flush with the ground) that looks horrible. I could replace it but its not very secure and I'd much rather have a proper matching sash window in the basement.

I didn’t know how practical this solution is though. I know the basement is damp and needs a decent amount of ventilation and as I said before what happens when it rains?

Thanks a lot :wink:

 

[Lime]

When in London my house had two coal shutes with circular metal lids much deeper than your picture.
There was also a large window fitted below in another part of the cellar with a cast iron metal grid over it.
The design of the pit did not appear to allow for much drainage at all.
For the time I lived there (60s) these openings had concrete slabs over them (placed on them many years before me) to stop the rain coming in.

 

[plumbers mate]

They weren't T Crapper coal hole covers were they?

 

[biffvernon]

Presumably, in the case that you've illustrated with a photo, the rainwater goes through the gravels and into the soil in the same way that rain falling outside the pit does. Is this a possibility in your case? In which case I can't see much problem beyond the normal damp basement wall situations. It's certainly a good way to get some daylight into the basement.

 

[Penners]

They weren't T Crapper coal hole covers were they?

Coal holes were/are for tipping coal into. The things that good old Thomas invented were for a different purpose.

Never confuse the two, otherwise you'll end up with a filthy loo and an unpleasant aroma when you light a fire.

 

[Nemesis]

Mmmm... Mr C ...


http://www.thomas-crapper.com/history02.asp


'By the 1880's, Crapper & Co.'s reputation was such that they were invited to supply the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) at Sandringham. Subsequently, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey all benefited from Crapper goods and services. Today, the Crapper manhole covers in the Abbey are popular for brass rubbings! Crapper & Co. remained by Royal Appointment to Edward when he became king and was also warranted by George V, as Prince of Wales ...'

 

[NT]

The situation depicted in the little picture would look best if you installed a standard window in the usual position, and left the area outside open. With a sash window, iron bars outside could be made to not look too obvious, by lining them up with the whatsthewords.


NT

 

[Penners]

whatsthewords.

Glazing bars? (Don't worry, NT, it happens to me all the wossname)

 

[NT]

Yes - I've got that thing where I forget words, but I cant remember the name of it. I wish that were a joke, it should be.

NT

 

[GeoffP]

Hi Manny,

I have the same sort of thing in my house leading into the cellar.

Originally it was covered by a locked iron grate on the top and had an opening window fitted which, over the years, the wood rotted and the glass broke.

I have since removed the whole window, made up a frame to fit the hole then made double opening wooden lockable doors to fit. I imagine that this would be much cheaper than ACME windows. I still use the old iron grate.

The only negative to this was the reduction of light into the cellar but it’s not used very often and as I’ve now fitted lights down there, this is not a problem
.
The base of the hole is just soil so I have no problems when it rains. I suppose that any media that will drain off would be OK.

Geoff