Which Metal Window Well Covers are Best?
Do you realize how many different types of metal there are available for use in manufacturing? Lots. Iron, lead, copper, gold, aluminum, brass, just to name a few. Steel is an alloy metal, meaning it’s a mixture of more than one thing. It’s mostly iron, but combined with carbon and sometimes other elements like nickel or chrome. Steel is used in everything from buildings to automobiles to appliances and paper clips. With the different combinations of iron and other elements, we get different types of steel. Galvanized steel and carbon steel are pretty common and offer great strength.
Window wells themselves look like they could be made of aluminum because of the silver color, but they’re generally made of galvanized steel. Of course, when you are looking for metal window well covers, you’re generally going to see that steel is used for most, if not all that you come across. Sure you could use something like copper, but it’s not as strong. Steel offers the best bang for the buck.
So, if they’re all made from steel, then what makes some metal window well covers better than other? We’re glad you asked! It will generally come down to 2 things – the thickness, or gauge of the steel and how it’s put together.
Simply put – if it feels cheap, then it probably is. The thicker the steel, the stronger it will be. Steel that is as thin as floss isn’t going to do much for you unless it’s woven and there’s lots of it. On the other hand, if you use steel that is thicker it becomes very heavy and more difficult to manage. With all of the metal window well covers we’ve manufactured we have perfected the size of steel that we use so that you get a sturdy, strong window well cover that won’t weigh a ton. When you stand on a steel cover it shouldn’t flex much, if at all. If it’s noticeably bending, then it may be a smaller gauge that’s not as strong as it should be.
The other thing that sets our metal window well covers apart from others is the welding and construction. Being made of steel, these covers need to be welded together at different points. Some companies use as few welds as possible to save money. You may have the perfect steel for a cover, but if it’s not welded properly, your covers are at risk of being too weak to hold the weight that may be applied to them. Welding in general will make the metal being welded stronger.
So, be sure to check the quality of covers before you buy them. Stand on one, push on it, check it out so you know exactly what you’re getting. Look for weld joints and ask the manufacturer how their covers are welded. Of course, with Mountainland it’s never a worry with our lifetime structural guarantee. We know we do a good job and have the best steel window well covers on the market!