Summary
Water management is key to protecting your home during storms. Proper eavestroughs, grading, sump pump maintenance and tree risk management all are crucial to avoiding claims.
Storms in Ontario have been causing home damage even more than usual in recent years. In fact, in 2023 alone, severe summer storms caused Ontarians $340 million in insured damage. As home insurance premiums continue to get more expensive, it’s important to do what you can to manage the risk of damage to your home from storms. Here are our top 5 tips to help you protect your home from severe storms.
1. Keep an eye on your roof
This is important especially if your roof is older than 10 years. If you’ve moved into a new home and are unsure of the roof age, we have a trick to help you find out! Find the neighbour with the nicest lawn and ask them. We’ll bet anything that they’ll remember when the last owner updated the roof!
Make sure you also look out for wear such as cracking or shifting shingles. If you notice anything of concern, have a roofing contractor out to have a look. It’s always better to replace the roof while the sun is shining.
2. Double check that your eavestroughs are clean
Don’t forget to check the downspouts – these are prone to getting clogged with debris. If you’re not comfortable getting on a ladder, call a professional to have this done and consider eavestrough guards.
If you have downspouts that are still connected to a city sewer system, contact your local municipality to see if they need to be disconnected. Downspouts running into city sewers can be a large contributor to basement flooding.
3. Look at the grading around your home
Good grading means that the highest point of the ground is on your foundation, causing water to naturally flow away from the home. Poor grading happens when the ground slopes towards your home, making it a natural basin for groundwater.
Also make sure your downspouts extend far enough from the home. Most water intrusion happens due to poor grading or water management. If your downspouts extend less than 3 feet, there are several options available to extend them. If you’re the DIYing type, you can even check your local hardware store.
4. If you have a sump pump, check it regularly
Make sure that the pump is plugged in and that it engages when needed. If you have your sump pump hardwired to the panel, make sure the breaker is set to the on position. Testing can easily be done by pushing the float down to engage or dumping a bucket of water in the sump pump pit to simulate a rise in water level.
5. Maintain any trees in your yard
If a tree is not healthy it can easily fall in strong winds causing damage to your home, pool, parked cars, etc. Contact an arborist and they can come take a look and give their advice on the safety of the tree.
Pro tip: contact your local municipality if you have a large tree in your front yard. If it is owned by the city or township, they should have a service available to maintain the tree.
Contact Your Broker
Have any questions for a broker about your home insurance and severe storms? Contact us today and we’d love to help.
