Spring brings the rainy season. Occurrences of flash flooding have been increasing across the Greater Toronto Area, including Aurora and Thornhill. Water damage now outranks fire as the leader in home insurance claims. Flash floods happen as a result of too much rain hitting the ground too quickly for the ground to absorb. The plumbers at Aaron & Son Plumbing & Drain Services want you to be prepared by ensuring your pipes and drains are working properly and to safeguard your home from this natural disaster.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to protect your valuables and prevent the damage that floods can cause in your home beginning with sloping soil away from your home’s foundation. A grade of 3 meters for every 150 millimeters of rise should help rain water flow away from your home. Don’t forget to fill and slop soil under decks and porches.

To reduce the likelihood of flood damage, Public Safety Canada’s Get Prepared campaign recommends following:

• Using weather protection sealant around basement windows and the base of ground-level doors;
• Ensuring your downspouts drain a sufficient distance from your residence to ensure that water moves away from the building;
• Storing your important documents and items of sentimental value at a higher level in your home, ideally upstairs not in the basement, to protect them from flood damage.
• Consider installing a sump pump and/or a backwater valve in the basement floor drains;

If flooding is imminent, you should do the following:

• Move furniture, electrical appliances, and other belongings to floors above ground level;
• Remove toxic substances such as pesticides and insecticides from the flood area to prevent pollution;
• Disconnect eavestroughs if they are connected to the house sewer. In some cases, homes may be protected with sandbags or polyethylene barriers. This approach requires specific instructions from your local emergency officials.

For your personal and family’s safety, we recommend you put together an emergency kit containing all identification documents, any required medications, and a change of clothing in case you do need to evacuate your home. Remember to write down important numbers such as your home insurance provider and policy number, and keep this information to hand. Lastly, watch the weather forecast and make sure you’re up-to-date on threats.

If you have concerns about flooding related to clogged and broken pipe or would like to install a backwater valve, call us today. We provide our plumbing and drain services in Toronto and York Region, including Aurora, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Thornhill and Woodbridge.