In this project I replaced egress window covers. It was necessary because the cheap metal cover assemblies that came with the house had failed. The covers were sagging, mice could get in and the generally not safe.
Before
This is one of the original covers. You can see how it sags. What isn’t visible are the tears in the screen that was intended to keep bugs and rodents out of the window well.
The other cover did not sag but was in pretty rough shape. The dogs regularly walk across these covers and I was concerned about the plexiglass not supporting their weight.
During
The first step was demo. I removed the old piano hinges from the siding and salvaged the PlexiGlass. Then I removed the old frames and threw them away.
I cleaned out the window wells and inspected the timbers for rot. It was also a good time to clean up the siding where the hinge were attached.
After
Here is the finished cover. The sides and front were constructed using pressure treated, ground contact lumber. Screen is installed inside the frame to provide some protection for it.
The lumber was aligned to provide support for the plexiglass down the sides and in the front. The edge along the house is attached to the siding with a piano hinge.
The completed cover will support at least 180 pounds so it should be safe for the dogs.
