Method for repairing a window well using a modular window well insert

Abstract

A modular window well insert is composed of a long fiber reinforced plastic. The modular insert has at least some fibers that are omnidirectional relative to the other fibers in the plastic. The window well insert is configured in size and shape to be attached to an existing window well, having a matching width and depth of the existing window well. In some instances, the module well insert also has a recessed section that facilitates mating the window well insert to the window well.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of repairing a window well, the method comprising:
 removing a damaged portion of the window well; and   replacing the damage portion of the window well with a modular window well insert which has a recessed section designed to mate with the window well.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the damaged portion is removed from a bottom of the window well, and the modular window well insert is attached to the bottom of the window well. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the damaged portion is removed from a top of the window well, and the modular window well insert is attached to the top of the window well. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the damaged portion of the window well is removed and replaced with the modular window well insert while the window well remains attached to a home or other structure. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the modular window well insert and the window well have one or more attachment holes, and wherein one or more of the modular insert's attachment holes align with one or more of the window well's attachment holes when the modular window well insert is mated to the window well. 
     
     
         6 . The method claim of  1 , wherein the modular window well insert is composed of a fiber reinforced plastic. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least some fibers within the fiber reinforced thermoplastic have a length of greater than 20 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least some fibers within the fiber reinforced thermoplastic have a length of greater than 40 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the fiber reinforced plastic is a thermoplastic. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the fiber reinforced plastic is a thermoset plastic. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed section of the modular window well insert is at a top of the modular window well insert. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed section has a height within a range of about 10 cm to about 25 cm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modular window well insert comprises one or more tabs and one or more slots that facilitate mating with the window well that also has one or more tabs and one or more slots. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a body of the modular window well insert has a varying wall thickness. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the body comprises of a plurality of ribs and wall surface portions, and wherein the variable wall thickness of the body is thicker at the ribs than the wall surface portions, the body of the modular window well insert having fewer ribs than the window well. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed section of the modular window well insert is on a bottom of the modular window well insert, which mates to a top section of the window well. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modular window well insert comprises two recessed sections, one recessed section being on a top of the modular window well insert, and the other recessed section being on a bottom of the modular window well insert.