Q: How should I store coffee?

A: After coffee beans are roasted, their flavor and aroma gradually begin to diminish. Once the beans are ground — subjecting more surface area to air, moisture, heat and light — the negative effect speeds up. For this reason, coffee tastes best when you buy freshly roasted beans and grind them right before brewing.

Whether you purchase beans or prefer having preground coffee on hand, there are steps you can take to ensure it stays as fresh as possible.

First, transfer your coffee to an airtight container sealed with a rubber gasket. This is more effective at preventing flavor loss than commercial packaging. A ceramic canister is a great choice because it also blocks out light, but glass works well, too. Avoid using metal or plastic containers because both may affect taste.

If you buy ground coffee, go to a shop where it is ground on-site or where you can grind your own. Store coffee at room temperature in a cool, dark and dry spot. Do not keep it in the refrigerator, where it can absorb moisture and food odors.

Ideally, you should shop for coffee each week. If this is impractical, buy a two-week supply: Keep enough to last a week in the container you use each day, and place the rest in a separate airtight jar.

Those who like to buy coffee in bulk can keep a week's supply on hand and store the remainder in the freezer for up to three months, dividing it into one-week portions among plastic freezer bags.

Let coffee warm up before brewing; never return it to the freezer once it has reached room temperature.

Q: What is a window well?

A: A window well is a cutaway in the soil around a basement window that lets light in and serves as an emergency exit. U.S. building codes demand "egress," or a safe exit, when a bedroom is located below ground. A window well or bulkhead (a sloping exterior door) satisfies the requirement.

In the former case, most building codes call for one window that is 5.7 square feet or larger and no more than 44 inches off the floor, so a person could boost himself up and out. Unless the lot slants, there often isn't room between the ground and the top of a foundation for a window that complies with these regulations. That's where window wells come in.

To make one, the soil outside must be cut back around the window, creating a landing that is at least 3 feet by 3 feet.

There also needs to be a reinforcing system, such as a metal or wooden wall, to hold the soil in place. And if the outside landing is more than 44 inches below ground, there must be a ladder or steps. Check your local building codes for additional requirements.

Some window wells have grates over the top to prevent people — especially kids — from tumbling in and to provide extra protection against intruders. You may also install bubblelike covers, which keep water from draining onto the landing and then seeping into the basement. Grates or covers must be designed to be opened easily from the inside.

Questions may be sent to mslletters@marthastewart.com or Ask Martha, care of Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 11 W. 42nd St., New York, NY 10036. Sorry, no personal replies.