After a homebuyer spotted cemented basement windows in their new house, they took to social media to ask how risky it would be to restore them.
Here's what to know
In a post to Reddit's r/homeowners community, the new owner of a 1950s house asked what could be done about basement windows that a previous owner had filled in.
"I'm not sure if there are cinder blocks in there or what," the original poster wrote. "I'd love to restore the windows, but I'm not sure how risky that might be to the foundation or just in general."
They added, "I'm pretty handy and would love DIY tips, but I'm willing to hand things over to a professional if you guys think it can be done."
Commenters pointed out potential complications. "You have a joist sitting on it. I would leave it alone," one wrote. "If you cut it out, you'll have to make sure the joist gets proper support. Also, I would be worried about water."
Another said: "We had to do this on one window because of water. The house had sank enough to make the window downhill of the natural drainage. It was getting in between the foundation and driveway and flooding the basement every time it rained."
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A third user warned: "This is a can of worms if I ever saw one. I'd think long and hard before I opened it."
The advice persuaded the OP to leave the three cemented-over openings untouched.
They updated their post to write: "Thank you all for your lively suggestions! I think I've decided to leave well enough alone. 'Can of worms' seems like the name of the game here."
Where can I learn more?
Other homeowners have faced similar questions about keeping basements dry and making sure they're structurally sound.
• A homeowner's hose test raised concerns that interior basement waterproofing might offer only a stopgap.
• A homeowner blamed a waterproofing product for basement moisture, but the fix may start outside.
• An engineer recommended fixing a basement support post that an inspector had called fine.
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