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Prepare Your Home and Property for Flood Season

flood resilience in Ontario

As we slowly but surely start moving into spring, we are also moving into what is known as peak flood season.

Last year’s flooding was so bad (it was declared a catastrophic event) that the Ontario government set up a task force to address flooding and launched a pilot project around protection from extreme weather events. The government last year did also cut funding for flood management to conservation authorities by 50%, a move that was widely criticized.

This year (2020) it was announced that Ontario’s new plan for flood mitigation revolves around increasing public awareness and boosting preparedness – a strategy that Natural Resources Minister John Yakabuski stated does not revolve around funding (source: OttawaMatters.com – Ontario unveils new flooding strategy, but minister mum on funding).

So we thought that now would be a good time to discuss some steps you can take to protect your home and your property from flood and mitigate the risks you may face…

~ Get those valuables, precious possessions and important documents out of the basement. Move them to a more secure location in your home.

~ Make use of sealed bins to store personal belongings and other important necessities.

~ Set up check valves in your sewer traps (this can prevent any floodwater backup into your home’s drains). You can also set up backflow valves for your sewer connections (think drains, toilets) for even more protection.

~ Test out your sump pumps (this should be done regularly) and have a backup system in place (such as a generator or battery backup). Don’t have a sump pump system for your basement? Give it some consideration if you’re concerned about flooding in your area.

~ Use a weather protection sealant product around any basement windows and doors. While you’re at it, do so for your ground-level doors as well.

~ Properly maintain your property’s drainage systems (e.g. weeping tiles, ditches).

~ Ensure that your downspouts are far enough away from your house and that they actually move water away from your home and foundation.

~ Clean out those eaves! This should be a regular part of your home maintenance routine. Any blockages can cause drainage problems.

These are just a few important steps you can take to protect your home and property from potential flooding. Here are some further resources about flooding if you’d like to do some additional research:

Be sure to also check out this resource from the blog:

9 Steps to Help Prevent Basement Flooding

Have some questions about flooding and how it relates to home insurance in Ontario? Reach out to one of our insurance professionals. Looking for a quote on home insurance? Head over here.

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Image source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net | Stuart Miles

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