Welcome to spring!
Warmer weather, time spent outdoors - who doesn't welcome the change in season? But along with this change is also a thaw, spring rains and an increased chance of flooded basements.
What can you do to help prevent a time consuming and costly basement flood?
Here are 7 suggestions for you:
- Clean your eavestroughs - clogged eavestroughs can damage your roof, increasing the chance for water to rot plywood, enter the attic, wreck insulation and even enter your home. Eaves should be cleaned twice a year - late fall and early spring.
- Examine your roof - look for damage which may have occurred during the winter months, such as missing shingles, rot and dry, cracked or failing seals.
- Check your downspouts - ideally, downspouts should release the water from the eavestroughs at a minimum of 3 feet from the foundation of your home.
- Inspect the grading around your entire home - as a home settles, the grading may change over time. Be sure that the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation. Six feet away from the foundation, the ground should be at least 3 inches lower at a minimum.
- Have your sump pump serviced annually - the average life span of a sump pump is 8 to 10 years, and the only time you'll know your sump pump isn't functioning properly is when it's failed! A backup pump is recommended in the event of a power failure.
- Municipality sponsored flood subsidy programs - take advantage of local subsidy programs to help protect your home from a costly and time-consuming flood. To learn if your municipality offers such programs, simply Google search your municipality's name and "flood subsidy program".
- Give us a call to learn more about flood insurance options now available to Ontario residents: Overland Flood Insurance - Many homeowners currently purchase coverage for “sewer backup”, but Overland Flood insurance provides coverage in the event that water enters your home from doorways, windows or over foundation walls.
Take action now to help prevent basement floods.