Climate Ready: Home Flood Protection

Remove debris from your nearest storm drain or ditch and culvert and clean out eavestroughs. Remove obstructions to the basement floor drain and ensure they aren’t blocked.

Outdoors
Regularly check your eavestroughs, window wells and well covers, downspouts, floor drains, storm drains, and storm ditches/culverts. Clearing debris like leaves, twigs, branches, or garbage ensures that water can flow where it needs to go and keeps it from building up near your home.
It is important to also clean debris throughout the winter. Come spring and snowmelt, unmelted ice blockages can cause water to back up in drains and cause flooding. To prevent this, check for ice build-up in your eavestroughs, downspouts, and storm drains.

Other ways you can support debris removal and storm drain maintenance in your community include:

• Participate in the Yellow Fish Road program.
• Lead by example! Check on storm drains in your community to support a local culture of mutual assistance. After all, one blocked storm drain could affect you and your neighbours. By keeping an eye on your community’s storm drains together, your community adds an extra layer of protection against flooding.

Indoors
Debris doesn’t just accumulate outside your home; it builds up inside too!

Know where the floor drain in your basement is and keep it clear of physical barriers to water. You should also check to make sure that standing water is visible in the drain trap; if there isn’t, add a little bit to keep the standing water trap full.

Contact a licensed plumber if you ever suspect a blockage, find a strange smell coming from your drain, or can’t see water in your drain trap after filling it up.

A sump pump moves excess water away from your home from your basement, crawlspaces, and around your foundation.

Sump pumps move water draining around your home’s foundation away from your home. During floods, water can overwhelm a home’s weeping tile system, forcing water through cracks in the foundation and other small openings. Even if water isn’t flooding into your home, high volumes of water can cause damage to your foundation, walls, or floors.

A sump pump collects and pushes water collecting below the foundation away from your home, redirecting it towards proper drainage systems like your yard, ditches, and municipal water systems. They are most useful for homes without a connection to a municipal stormwater management system, homes at or below grade, homes near underground streams or wells, or in cases where flood damage would be significantly expensive (especially if you aren’t able to cover damages with insurance).

A sump pump can be installed during new construction or retrofitted into existing homes to pump water into the municipal stormwater management system.

Power outages happen most often during extreme weather events, the same time your home is most likely to experience flooding. A backup power source for your sump pump will ensure that your home will remain protected from flooding during an emergency power outage.

You can suffer significant water damage if your sump pump is set up improperly or is damaged. You must maintain your sump pump and get it inspected regularly.

Sump pumps are prone to blockage and failure if they are not routinely inspected and maintained. You should test your sump at least twice per year. You can do this by opening up the cover and pouring in a bucket of water. Once the float rises, the sump pump should pump the water.

If your sump pump does not work, it should be serviced by a licensed plumber.

When blockages or extreme rainfall overwhelm municipal stormwater or wastewater systems, water can flow in reverse into your home. A backwater valve creates a one-way seal in your pipes. It allows the wastewater from your home to drain into the wastewater system, but closes if the wastewater flow reverses and begins moving backwards into your home. Installing and maintaining a backwater valve could save you money and avoid preventable clean-ups of sewer water inside your home!

Check with your plumber to determine if a backwater valve is right for your home.

A backwater valve is a device that prevents wastewater in an overloaded sewer from backing up into your basement.

It is essential to maintain your backwater valve regularly. Always wear protective gloves and eyewear when doing maintenance on your backwater valve. Your goal is to identify any potential blockages or debris that would prevent the gate of your backwater valve from closing correctly. First, remove the access box lid. Then, unscrew the cleanout plug on the top of the backwater valve and visually inspect it, looking for debris build-up on the valve body, gate, and beneath the valve gate. If debris is found, clean by flushing the valve with a hose or bucket of water. If there are still grease deposits or other debris, you can scrub the inside of the valve to clean it out. Remember to tighten removed caps and access ports to maintain a closed seal. This maintenance should be done twice a year.

Review your insurance policies carefully and talk to your broker, flood damages are not covered in many cases.

Keep valuables and hazardous materials in watertight containers and secure fuel tanks or keep them at a higher level, protected from flood damage.

Make a family emergency plan, so that everyone knows what to do, and where to go in case of an emergency.

Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Flood Guide
Learn about the precautions to take during a flood and guidance for clean up after a food

72 Hour Emergency Preparedness
Use this resource to create your own emergency plan and build a 72-hour emergency kit.

Get an emergency kit, so that you and your family can be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours during a flood.

Install window wells that sit 10-15 centimetres above ground and upgrade to water-resistant windows.

Window wells and covers direct water away from your home and prevents water from seeping into the ground next to your foundation.

• Windows less than 10-15 centimetres (4-6 feet) above the ground should have a window well installed 10-15 centimetres (4-6 feet) above grade. Installing window well covers reduces your risk even further.
• Make sure to regularly check on your window wells and window well covers to make sure that they are clear of debris.

Correct grading to direct water to least 2 metres away from the foundation.

The slope of your property relative to your home is a critical factor in your home’s flooding risk. Water will always flow downhill. If your home is at or below grade, it is always at a greater risk of flooding. Checking and correcting your property’s grade (slope) helps direct water towards stormwater major collection systems or natural systems.

What is correct grading?

• Driveways: 1-2% minimum slope away from your home.
• Windows and doors
• Window wells: Windows less than 10-15 centimetres (4-6 feet) above the ground should have a window well installed 10-15 centimetres (4-6 feet) above grade. Installing window well covers reduces your risk even further.
• Doors and stairwells: Doors less than 10-15 centimetres (4-6 feet) above the ground should have an accompanying drain installed. This drain should not be connected to the sanitary sewer system. A stairwell sill 10-15 centimetres (4-6 feet) above grade reduces your risk even further.
• Make sure to examine and repair or install seals around your windows and doors to keep water out in case of floods.
• Minimum 5% slope away from your home within 1.8m (6′) of your home. The ground within 1.8m (6′) should not easily soak up water. Instead, there should be light water pooling.

Check with your plumber to determine if a backwater valve is right for your home.

When blockages or extreme rainfall overwhelm municipal stormwater or wastewater systems, water can flow in reverse into your home. A backwater valve creates a one-way seal in your pipes. It allows the wastewater from your home to drain into the wastewater system, but closes if the wastewater flow reverses and begins moving backwards into your home. Installing and maintaining a backwater valve could save you money and avoid preventable clean-ups of sewer water inside your home!

Check with your plumber to determine if a backwater valve is right for your home.

It is essential to maintain your backwater valve regularly. Always wear protective gloves and eyewear when doing maintenance on your backwater valve. Your goal is to identify any potential blockages or debris that would prevent the gate of your backwater valve from closing correctly. First, remove the access box lid. Then, unscrew the cleanout plug on the top of the backwater valve and visually inspect it, looking for debris build-up on the valve body, gate, and beneath the valve gate. If debris is found, clean by flushing the valve with a hose or bucket of water. If there are still grease deposits or other debris, you can scrub the inside of the valve to clean it out. Remember to tighten removed caps and access ports to maintain a closed seal. This maintenance should be done twice a year.

A sump pump moves excess water from your basement, crawlspaces, and around your foundation away from your home. Install a backup battery or generator and test it each season to protect your home during power failures.

Sump pumps move water draining around your home’s foundation away from your home. During floods, water can overwhelm a home’s weeping tile system, forcing water through cracks in the foundation and other small openings. Even if water isn’t flooding into your home, high volumes of water can cause damage to your foundation, walls, or floors.

A sump pump collects and pushes water collecting below the foundation away from your home, redirecting it towards proper drainage systems like your yard, ditches, and municipal water systems. They are most useful for homes without a connection to a municipal stormwater management system, homes at or below grade, homes near underground streams or wells, or in cases where flood damage would be significantly expensive (especially if you aren’t able to cover damages with insurance.

A sump pump can be installed during new construction or retrofitted into existing homes to pump water into the municipal stormwater management system.

Power outages happen most often during extreme weather events, the same time your home is most likely to experience flooding. A backup power source for your sump pump will ensure that your home will remain protected from flooding during an emergency power outage.

You can suffer significant water damage if your sump pump is set up improperly or is damaged. You must maintain your sump pump and get it inspected regularly.

Sump pumps are prone to blockage and failure if they are not routinely inspected and maintained. You should test your sump at least twice per year. You can do this by opening up the cover and pouring in a bucket of water. Once the float rises, the sump pump should pump the water.

If your sump pump does not work, it should be serviced by a licensed plumber.

Use your lawn, yard, or garden to enhance your property’s ability to absorb, filter, and redirect stormwater away from your home.

You can reduce your risk of flooding and help restore local ecosystems by replacing your traditional grass lawn or yard with a variety of strategically placed native plants and other features.

What is a Rain Garden?
Rain Gardens to manage stormwater A rain garden replaces traditional grass lawns with native plant species in low-lying shallow depressions on your property. Loose deep soil is added to enable water to easily soak into the earth, acting as a natural drain for stormwater. Native shrubs and flowering plants can be planted in this deep soil, adding a beautiful feature to your property. These plants often absorb more water than traditional gardens, which reduces water pooling in your yard. They also release water more slowly, easing drought stress on your garden.

Blooming plants can also support pollinator species like butterflies! The Mono Pollinator Gardens has excellent resources for learning how to select plants that will support pollinator species. You can also use resources from Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Other features like soakways — walkways made from medium to large-sized gravel — can enhance your rain garden and help water soak into the ground more quickly.

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority recommend that you ask the following questions when deciding if a rain garden is right for you:

• Do you have a low-lying area on your property where water naturally flows during a heavy storm?
• Are you interested in installing a new garden, or do you have an existing garden that you would like to redesign?
• Is your potential garden space at least 3 metres away from any building foundation on your property?
• Is your potential garden space relatively flat? (between 1% and 5% slope)
• Is there a source of water to feed your potential garden space, such as a downspout or a rain barrel?
• If you answered ‘YES’ to all of the above, a rain garden could be right for you!

IMPORTANT: Utilities like pipes and underground power lines can be quite shallow. It is possible to damage them or hurt yourself. Call the Ontario One Call (1-800-400-2255) or use their online form to locate utilities before you start digging a rain garden.

Benefits of Rain Gardens

• Reduce excess stormwater entering municipal stormwater systems
• Filter pollutants like bacteria from pet waste, grass clippings, fertilizers, pesticides, and road/driveway salt.
• Reduce flooding risks for your own home

Additional Resources
A Complete Guide to Building and Maintaining a Rain Garden – Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Grow Me Instead: Guide to Avoid Planting Invasive Species
Home and Garden – Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Native Plants for Rain-ready Landscapes – Credit Valley Conservation
Rainscaping – Credit Valley Conservation
Mono Pollinator Gardens