How much do you know about flooding? Simply answering a few questions from IBC’s Flood Factor will help you learn how you can protect your home.  I’m afraid to admit… I got a 3/5 when I tested my knowledge as part of an online quiz from Insurance Bureau of Canada. YIKES! Guess I’ve got some studying to do.

Personally, I remember reporting on the Burlington flood back in 2014. It was terrifying. Dumpsters were on driveways, cars were stranded and basements were ruined (not to mention all the precious memorabilia people had tucked away). The testimonials and the images were just heartbreaking. I also remember how many families said they didn’t have flood coverage after their homes were destroyed. It was awful to hear story after story of people who were affected by our local natural disaster.

 

What would you do if you lost all of your family photos? Could you afford to replace your entire basement? These are just a few things that you don’t think about until it happens to you.

I had never really thought about what to do to protect my home from flood damage until I took the Flood Factor quiz. Click here to see for yourself.

 

My husband and I now live in Burlington, Ontario. When we looked for homes just over a year ago (we bid on 17 to be exact) flood damage from the Burlington flood was a major concern. We looked for signs of water damage in people’s basements, was there new paint, did it smell musky? All things that we knew we wanted to avoid because if you’ve ever experienced water damage you know it’s not good.

Here are just a few ways that you can do to help protect your home from water damage:

• don’t pour fats, oils or grease down your drain.
• use water- resistant building materials below ground level.
• install a backwater valve. Some municipalities may offer subsidies to offset the installation cost.
• reduce home water use during heavy rainfalls.
•  Install flood shields or barriers for basement windows and doors. The tops of the shields should extend above ground level.
• Raise large appliances, furnaces, hot water heaters, electrical panels and oil tanks above any anticipated flood levels.

What steps will you take to help protect your home from flood or water damage? I’d love to hear from you in the comments down below.

 

If you’re up for it test your knowledge at floodfactor.ca (hyperlink to: http://bit.ly/HarperFlood) for a chance to win a $5,000 home shopping spree. You can also find more tips and advice on ibc.ca.