4 Ways to Flood Proof Your Home
Oh Canada, the true north strong and free – and oh so floody. It’s not a Canadian spring without some poor, unfortunate community ending up under water and in the news. It probably crosses your mind every year to look at ways to protect your home but you might not have gotten to it yet.
Here are 4 ways to flood proof your home:
Become Friends with Your Backwater Valve
Your backwater valve is your friend. It helps prevent sewage from the city’s main line from backing up into your own plumbing and into your basement. The backwater valve does this by dropping a flap across the line and preventing the city’s crap from travelling up into your home.
What you really want to do is learn about your home’s drainage system. This can consist of a backwater valves, sump pit/pump, and weeping tile. How you’re set up will depend on your home and your location. Do a little research online and explore your basement to figure out what’s in your system as a first step in your effort to flood proof your home.
Make sure you get regular checks and maintenance done to protect your home against flooding. A qualified technician will be able to offer advice on how to do this. If you need to upgrade or replace parts of your system, check with your city to see if they offer a subsidy on anything like backwater/sump pump purchase and installation.
Eavestroughs, Downspouts, Oh My
I never thought about eavestroughs until I bought a house -- and then they became super-important. Your gutters are the first line of defence against flooding. They make sure water is channeled away from your house and toward city drainage systems.
Your eavestroughs and downspouts need regular maintenance to ensure leaves and debris don’t collect up and block drainage. They also need to be inspected for leaks which can be repaired with a waterproof sealant. Yearly inspections can go a long way to ensuring your gutters are in good working order for spring runoff. Keeping the water away is an essential move to flood proof your home.
Get Comprehensive Water Coverage
Insurance companies differ on coverage options for water damage, but you can bet most of it is going to be elective. Generally, this means you’ll have to specifically request a damage rider be added to your policy.
Ask for sewer back-up water damage and/or above ground water damage. Make sure you double check what exactly that will cover because that can vary, depending on your policy. Most insurance companies won’t cover water damage caused by roof disrepair, improperly installed appliances, and wind-driven rain that leaks into your home. As a result, proper maintenance is another essential step to flood proof your home – or at least ensure you’ve done your due diligence so the insurance company will cover the damage.
Improve Your Yard Grade
Lot grading is a process of creating the slope of your yard so that it drains water away from the foundation of your home. Generally speaking, the slope’s highest point should start at your basement wall and decline at a continuous angle for at least 1.5 to 2.0 meters. There should be a 15 cm decline between your wall and the ground 2.0 meters away.
You can make your own “homemade slope gauge” by searching the term in this City of Edmonton guide. Build this simple yard ruler to get an idea whether your yard is slope-tacular.
With a few basic moves, it’s possible to flood proof your home before the next spring rain.