How To Protect Your Home From Flooding
It seems that the weather is becoming more and more unpredictable as of late.
Between the tornados, the derechos, and the sudden torrential downpours we’ve been dealing with, it’s easy to understand why many of our clients have been scheduling plumbing appointments to discuss options to protect homes from flooding.
While some of you may have flood insurance, we’d all rather avoid needing to use it and minimize flood damage altogether.
In this article, we’re going to discuss options to protect your home from flooding and water damage!
Stay Aware Of The Weather
Awareness of potential threats is the key to avoiding potential threats!
If you regularly check the weather, you’ll know what to expect! And if you expect bad weather, you can prepare for it!
So the next time the weather app says that we’re expecting a lot of rain, we’ll be ready to:
Install A Sump Pump
Sump pumps protect our basements and homes from water from the ground entering our homes and causing damage. Water accumulates in the sump pit and when the water reaches high enough, it automatically triggers the pump to kick on and evacuate the water.
Additionally, sump pumps reduce hydrostatic pressure from water accumulating in the soil surrounding the foundation of your home. This prevents cracking in the foundation in addition to preventing water from seeping into your basement.
If you need a sump pump install in Ottawa, John The Plumber is your local expert!
Install A Backup Sump Pump
Sump pumps are incredible devices to protect your home, but they don’t last forever.
Countless Canadians learn the hard way that their sump pumps are no longer working, and that usually comes with significant flooding and flood damage.
The best way to get peace of mind is to install a backup sump pump in your sump pump system.
A backup sump pump is an extra sump pump that kicks on when your primary sump pump fails or struggles to keep up with the incoming water. It’s an important tool to protect your home from flooding.
Install A Battery Backup For Your Sump Pump
Installing a battery backup is the final addition to your sump pump setup.
Why get a battery backup system?
Unfortunately, power outages and rainstorms often go hand in hand. This means that there’s a good chance your sump pump system won’t have power when you need it most.
The solution is to add a battery backup system that should be able to protect your home until the power comes back on!
Have Your Sump Pump Discharge Line Cleaned
Debris often falls into the sump pit, and your pump can often pump it into the discharge line.
Sometimes, however, this debris accumulates in the discharge line. Given enough time, it may accumulate into a full blockage.
If the water has nowhere to go, it’ll find somewhere to go. And, that’s eventually in your basement.
Have Your Weeping Tile Inspected To Ensure Good Working Order
Like any drainage system, weeping tile is susceptible to many issues, including:
Clogging, Collapse or crushing, Disconnection, Tree roots, Poor installation, Animal intrusion, ETC
Routine inspections should be a part of your home maintenance plan. You never want to find out the hard way that there’s an issue!
Install A Backwater Valve
A backwater valve is a device that prevents sewage and wastewater from rising up from the public sewer system to your home.
Otherwise, if the sewer is experiencing issues and unable to drain downhill fast enough properly, the water can rise up your sewer lateral and into your basement from the floor drain.
Not only is it disgusting, but it causes countless damage and poses numerous health risks.
Instead, protect your home from a flooded sewage system by installing a back water valve. It allows water to flow one way only. If water rises up the sewer, the valve will shut. You won’t be able to use your drain system until the sewer is fixed, but your home will be protected from neighbourhood filth.
Seal Cracks In Foundation
Water takes the path of least resistance, and I can’t think of anything less resistant than a hole.
If you’ve got a crack in your foundation, you’re inviting water from the ground into your home.
So if you’re concerned about flooding in your home and you’re taking steps to prevent it, inspect your home’s foundation!
Have Your Drains Flushed
Your drain system handles a lot of waste. Sometimes, the matter in this waste sticks to the drain pipes. If enough matter accumulates, this can lead to a blockage.
And if your drains are blocked and you try to use your plumbing system, the water will go somewhere. Sometimes it rises out of a floor drain, other times it rises out of a shower drain, sometimes it rises from somewhere else.
Consider hydro jetting services on your drain pipes. Hydro jetters are designed to blast your drain system with high-pressure water to clear them out.
Have Your Drain System Inspected
While getting your drains cleaned, it’s wise to have a drain camera inspection!
Main drains often have issues such as cracks, disconnects, tree roots, and more. These issues can turn into serious problems in a very short period of time, such as waste flooding in your basement.
Our drain technicians drive around with cameras to ensure that we’re ready to inspect your drains when you call us, and we strongly recommend it.
Upgrade To Frost-Free Hose Bibs
Hose bibs are an extremely common cause of frozen pipes in Ottawa!
The taps get cold, and the cold transfers to the water inside the pipe. If it’s cold enough, the water will freeze and burst the pipe. This often results in flooded basements.
Upgrading your home to a frost-free hose bib is a great way to protect your home from flooding and unnecessary risk.
Install an Automatic Water Shutoff System
An automatic water shutoff system is a protective plumbing device designed to sense when your plumbing system has a leak somewhere.
When it detects a leak, it will shut off the water supply to your home and prevent further leaking from occurring – giving you ample time to call a trusted Ottawa plumber!
Test Water Shutoffs and Replace As Needed
Every plumbing fixture in your home should have a nearby water shutoff valve so you can shut the water during an emergency.
However, these valves simply don’t last forever. As they are used and age, they deteriorate until they no longer seal or function properly.
It’s wise to periodically test the water shutoff valves to ensure they work. And if they don’t, it’s recommended that you schedule a water shutoff valve replacement.
Install Water Leak Detectors
Water leak detectors are smart plumbing devices that sense water in your home. There are different types of water leak detectors: some that connect to your water supply to detect leaks and others that sense water in a room.
These devices have countless benefits including:
Early detection of leaks, Preventing costly repairs and insurance claims, Protecting irreplaceable valuables, Preventing mold and mildew, And, more!
Keep Your Valuables Off The Ground
We’ve seen it before, and we’ll see it again: cardboard boxes soaking in a flooded basement.
Once the damage is done, there’s no going back. Old photos, sentimental belongings, irreplaceable heirlooms: once they’re ruined, that’s it.
That’s why we always strongly urge our clients to keep important belongings off the ground. The higher, the better!
Consider Flood Insurance
If you want to protect your investment and wallet, you may want to purchase flood insurance.
Flood insurance is insurance that protects your assets from flood damage. Your home insurance company may offer flood insurance as an add-on, but many homeowners find themselves obtaining flood insurance from a flood insurance provider.
There are different types of flood insurance policy, but the common insurance amongst Canadians is:
- Flood Insurance and Overland Water Coverage: This type of flood insurance protects you from damage caused by excessive rain, overflowing rivers, spring run-off, and melting snow.
When Purchasing A Home (Consider flood risk)
Like everywhere else in the world, it’s important for Canadians to be proactive in assessing flood risk in their potential properties.
Some important steps include:
This is Overwhelming, What Steps Should I Take?
There’s a lot of information on this page to digest. If you’re worried and want to know what steps you should take, we strongly recommend calling a plumber you trust.
John The Plumber has been the plumber Ottawa trusts since 2006!
Our experts are known for outstanding customer service, providing excellent information, not being pushy, and helping our clients make the decision that is right for them.
If you want to speak to a local plumbing expert with good intentions, call 613-227-7465 today!
