Regardless of where you live in Canada, chances are that you will have to deal with certain natural hazards. That’s why it’s important to stay prepared and protect your home against the extreme weather conditions that affect your area. We’ve narrowed down some of the most common natural hazards in Ontario in order to give you some tips and pointers on how to keep your home protected.
Floods
Floods are the most common natural hazards in Ontario and they can take place at any time of the year. Typically caused by heavy spring rain, summer thunderstorms, and melting snow, floods can do some serious damage to both properties and people. According to an article in Global News Canada, the 2017 floods in Ontario and Quebec forced nearly 4,000 people from their homes and caused over $223 million in property damages.
How to protect your property against floods
Even though there’s nothing you can do to prevent natural disasters from occurring, there are many preventative measures you can take to protect your household:
– Make sure all climate and electrical systems are above-expected flood level in Ontario (commonly between 12 to 18 inches above finish floor).
– Elevate and anchor outdoor equipment – Make sure you anchor and raise all generators, air-conditioning units and generators above flood levels. Remember, generators or electrical power units should never sit on the ground.
– Waterproof your house – Waterproofing minimizes the amount of water that reaches the inside of your home and keeps your home’s exterior protected. Magen Homes can help you find the right waterproofing option for your home as well as identify and protect areas that should be improved by doing a thorough inspection of your home.
Winter Storms
Canadian winters can be harsh and cold weather systems can persist for weeks. This may cause high winds, winter storms, ice pallets, and freezing rain. In fact, winter storms can last between a few hours to several days. To protect your property, make sure you do the following:
- Weather-strip doors and windows
- Install storm windows
- Insulate attics and walls
- Cut down any precarious tree branches close to your property
- Unplug appliances if necessary
- Let the pipes drip to avoid freezing
Wildfire
Every year, properties across Ontario are threatened by wildfires that often occur in urban interface zones where homes are part of the forest landscape. To protect your home against wildfires, you should:
- Reduce dead material, shrubs and evergreen trees around buildings
- Prune and thin trees around homes (within 10-3 metres)
- Use stucco and brick as building materials and opt for metal roofing or asphalt shingles
- Ensure all power lines aren’t placed near tree limbs
Thunderstorms and tornadoes
Areas that have frequent thunderstorms are scattered across Ontario. These severe thunderstorms can easily result in tornadoes (powerful damaging columns of wind that produce damage on properties). On average, Ontario sees around 12 tornadoes a year. From north to south, a tornado can basically strike any area in the province. Tornadoes can be very destructive, but there are certain steps you can take to turn the odds in your favor:
Reinforce the roof – Have a professional install hurricane straps or clips on your roof to prevent it from flying off in a tornado.
Reinforce doors and windows – Install storm shutters or doors specifically made to withstand the impact of a tornado.
Extra tip: Have a garage door technician reinforce or replace your garage door.
Secure all large furniture and appliances – Use furniture anchors to attach large furniture, such as a dresser or bookcase, to the walls and use metal strapping, or flexible cables, to secure large appliances.
Extra tip: You can also use childproof latches to keep all cabinets shut.
Inspect the exterior – Strong winds can blow off items located outside your house, so make sure you store away any potential hazards – these include patio furniture, large tree limbs, tree branches around electrical wires, and any loose items that are normally found on patios.
If your home has been affected by one of the aforementioned, or any other natural hazard, Magen Homes can help. We have many years of experience in handling restorations after fires, floods and storms, and we are confident in our ability to help you recover after a natural disaster. Call us today at 1 (855) 760-3981
