Flood prevention and cleaning

Short of sandbagging the entire perimeter of your home, it’s practically impossible to stop floodwater from getting in to the house. However, you can take certain steps in advance that will minimize the damage and make cleanup and restoration easier. The following is a short guide listing some of the measures to take before, during and after a flood.
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Things to look at
Before the flood
During a flood
After a flood
Some services you may need
A few words about generators
If you’re thinking of building...
Checklists

Things to look at

A reminder about your property insurance
Remember that flood damage isn’t covered in standard property insurance policies and payment of property damage claims are at the discretion of the insurance company. In most areas you can obtain flood coverage for an additional premium, something you should investigate long before a flood happens. However, water damage to your home from a burst pipe, water heater, etc, is usually covered. Getting public liability coverage, particularly for apartment and condo dwellers, is a must.

Government flood damage assistance
Flood assistance is managed by the provinces via joint federal/provincial and territorial programs. For more information go to the Government of Canada’s Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness (OCIPEP) website at http://www.ocipep.gc.ca. or contact your provincial government public security agency for claim assistance information. Many of these agencies also provide solid preparedness and cleanup information.

Pictures or video
Floods are expensive and the more water that gets into the house, the more costly will be the cleanup. To back up government assistance or insurance claims (if applicable) take pictures or videotape your progress as the cleanup moves along. In any case, a picture or videotape record is a good strategy to bolster other types of insurance claims.

Before the flood

Preparations
  • Check previous flood data (if available) to find out the level floodwaters can reach in the surrounding area and in your house. With this in mind, when possible raise such items as the water heater and furnace above this level.
  • Prepare an emergency phone number list (hospitals/civil authorities/police/ambulance services) and post it in at least two places.
  • Make sure the basement floor drain is equipped with a one-way valve to prevent water or sewage from coming back into the house.
  • Prepare a disaster kit. Civil authorities recommend that each home be equipped with a basic emergency package and also a scaled-down disaster kit for the car (see checklist below).
  • While the basement may seem be a natural storage area for many items, do not store chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides and petroleum products that can further contaminate the area. Do not use the basement to store irreplaceable items. Seal vulnerable items in plastic bags or sealable plastic containers (tote boxes). List the contents on the outside of all boxes and bags.
  • Finally, develop and rehearse an evacuation plan. Make sure that each family member knows how to quickly evacuate and reach higher ground. In case you become separated, designate an out-of-area family or friend as a contact person and make sure that each family member has this phone number.
If you have advance flood warning
  • Turn off the gas and electricity before the water arrives. All family members over the age of sixteen should know how this is done.
  • Move motorized items like lawn mowers, edge trimmers and chainsaws out of harm's way.
  • Store outside items like patio furniture, flower boxes, the barbecue, etc in a safe place, to prevent them from being carried off by the floodwaters.
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