How to Safeguard Your Property Against Summer Storms

Now may not seem like the ideal time to be thinking about flooding and water damage, yet torrential summer rains and waterways swelling with spring runoff cause massive headaches to homeowners every summer. Overland water, brought on by changing weather patterns and more frequent severe weather, can quickly destroy a basement, damage the foundation of your home, and lead to costly and long repairs.

1. Check your roof for damage like cracks or missing shingles. Summertime is the best time to make any necessary repairs.
2. Inspect the landscaping around the perimeter of your home to ensure it slopes away from the property so surging water doesn’t have an easy access route.
3. Keep important documents and valuable possessions out of the basement, or in waterproof or airtight containers. The last thing you need to worry about in case of a flood is losing something that’s hard or impossible to replace.
4. Install a sump pump to draw water away from the low-lying areas of your property. A sump pump will help protect the structural integrity of the foundation and is your best bet to get rid of the water entering your home. Make sure that the pump empties down-slope at least 1.5 meters away from the exterior wall of your home.
5. Install a backwater valve to keep raw sewage from coming through the drains of the overloaded sewage system. The valve is especially essential if your home sits at the bottom of a slope, with other homes and a sewer line running up the street. When water flows the opposite way from the sewer towards your home, the valve floats up to block it.
6. If you live in an at-risk area, consider installing flood shields on your basement windows and doors. The top edge of the shield should rise at least two feet above ground level or previous flood height. Reach out to your local municipality for precise information about the risk of flooding and overland water in your neighbourhood.

Overland water protection is now available. Connect with one of our expert advisers for more information on how we can help.