Toronto Basement Flooding in Unpredictable Early Winter with Snow Melt and Heavy Rain: Are You Prepared?
Sump Pumps, Sewage Ejectors, Drain Digs & Backup Camera Inspections – to the Toronto Basement Flooding Rescue…
The January maximum rainfall record was recently broken and it led to some flooding in parts of the city. If you live at the bottom of a hill, you might well be at risk for basement flooding. Are you prepared, or are you at risk for basement flooding?
When the snow starts to melt and heavy rain causes sewers to overflow, excess water tends to push up into the basements of Toronto homes. How do you know you’re ready? Well, it’s probably easier to know when you’re NOT prepared. Additionally some basement floods happen when the basement main drain gets clogged. Some of the signs that your property is at risk for basement flooding during snow and ice melt or heavy rain includes:
- Frequent plumbing backups
- Cracks in the foundation or basement walls
- Reverse sloping driveways
- Improper sloping ground near your home
- Water pooling along the foundations (not we don't do foundation work at Hoerner).
If your property has a rich plant life also, your sewers are more likely to be at risk for backup and flooding due to tree roots in drains.
When you have a main drain sewer backup in basement, you might notice:
- Slow flushing toilets in the basement
- A higher water level in the floor drain
- Pooling around the floor drain
Root growth which infiltrates drains and sewer lines, can wreak havoc on the draining system, compounded by heavy rainfall. Sometimes both an inside and outside dig is required depending on the damage. Blockages or damaged pipes are usually between the front of your house and the property line or street. Hoerner coordinates getting locates from the City on where utilities are located underground and the property line.
Your drain dig specialists from Hoerner will use a specialized camera to locate and assess the problem. This alleviates unnecessary digging, potentially in the wrong place.
If the the sewer lines running from your home to the municipal sewer on the street are higher than that of the fixture inside the home, the ejector pump can help move waste to the sewer to ensure the proper flow inside the sewer line.
While many homeowners install the cheapest, simplest sump pumps, most ignore the fact that when the power goes out and your simple pump fails, it can cause significant damage to your property, let alone the loss of expensive or sentimental items that are stored in your basement. Pump failure usually occurs because of power outages rather than a problem with the actual pump. Your GFCI outlets may trip during a lightning storm, or you might unplug it for whatever reason, and forget to switch it back on. Therefore, it is a good idea to invest in a battery backup for your sump pump.
Our favourite sump pumps: The PC sump pump series is a fully assembled sump pump kit system. The model pc237 441 with battery backup pump is frequently installed by us. It can also be used with a variety of other sump pumps.
The New NightEye is an all-new Wireless enabled pump alarm for use with sump, sewage and puddle sensing applications. It also has a super-bright LED alarm ring. Now you will know what’s happening with your pump, no matter where you are in the world. This new product from Liberty Pumps uses wireless connected products to keep you informed. Learn more about the NightEye range here.
Did you know you might be eligible for a sump pump or backwater valve rebate? Check out the basement flooding protection subsidy program the City of Toronto has to offer. Also ask Hoerner for more information about it and how you can protect your home from basement flooding.
Get in touch with Hoerner Heating & Plumbing today for all your Toronto flood prevention requirements.
Apply for Toronto's Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program - Basement Flooding - Sump Pumps and Backwater Valves.