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| As the weather continues to fluctuate radically around the world, more natural disasters like flooding are occurring. |
By all accounts, Muskoka was in the midst of an old-fashioned postcard winter with significant snowfall, a white Christmas, a sparkling snowy New Year’s Eve and a tantalizing hint of a January thaw. But in early January, warm temperatures set into motion a series of catastrophic events.
This year, a few balmy days preceded two days of heavy rain that led to district-wide flooding and devastation for many homeowners. On Jan. 6, the rain began. Its impact was exacerbated by snow accumulation, its volume augmented by melting snow.
Rivercove, a small community on Huntsville’s winding Big East River, was facing its second worst flood in recorded history.
Other areas along the Big East River flooded, but the apocalypse there was mighty, with almost 100 homes affected, some almost to the point of demolition.
By mid-afternoon on Jan. 9, the Big East River north of Huntsville was racing toward Rivercove at a rate of 170 cubic metres per second, according to Steve Taylor, water resource co-ordinator for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). It’s an abstract number, so picture the equivalent of more than 1,000 barrels passing a point every single second.
“This has never occurred to this degree in the winter,” says Taylor. “River ice created resistance and artificially raised the water level.”
The Big East rose more than three metres in 10 hours, then another 30 centimetres in the next hour.
By the time it was over, some looked to their insurers, some looked to the heavens, but all looked at their flooded basements and wondered if it could have been prevented.
Although Rivercove made the news, the damage was much more widespread. Throughout Muskoka, water wreaked havoc, basements flooded, roofs leaked, and homeowners despaired. Some were covered by insurance whereas others were left to their own devices, victims of nature’s wrath and a temperamental flood plain.
As the water poured in, frantic owners called for help to save their homes. Mark Augustine, owner of Total Cleaning and Restoration in Bracebridge, reports his office received up to 30 calls an hour.
“In two days, Jan. 8 and 9, we received 130 calls for service. They came from all over Muskoka, not just Rivercove. There were problems everywhere. The insurance industry declared all of Ontario a catastrophic loss area.
“We already had a ton of snow and then we had such a drastic change in weather. We had snowstorms with thunder and lightning, followed by heavy rain all day and into the night. After the rain came high winds, a violent power surge, and in many areas, hydro outages.”
After 15 years serving the Muskoka market, Total Cleaning and Restoration has responded to fires, floods and tornados. Meeting demand after the January floods meant relying on every bit of experience and resources.
“Many sump pumps were already close to capacity, and then the power went off,” recalls Augustine. “With such a temperamental power grid we recommend purchasing a generator. They’re quite common now and affordable. Even if it’s used only to power the sump pump, emergency lighting, and the freezer, it’s going to pay for itself quickly.”
Augustine also strongly recommends homeowners ensure their restoration contractor has a pollution liability rider.
“We need that to qualify as a preferred vendor to insurance companies. Make sure the firm doing the work has insurance, gets permits, offers a guarantee and is certified to properly address the specific damage,” he advises.
“The big fear with a flood is mould,” stresses Tim Skinner, owner of ServiceMaster of Muskoka. “Mould spores are always present just waiting for humidity levels to increase. Mould needs about 80 per cent humidity to grow and a flooded basement offers the perfect conditions. If you don’t quickly and drastically reduce that level, you have a health hazard within about 72 hours.”
The dangers of mould growth were not always evident. Skinner explains not everyone is sensitive to mould, but for those who are, such as those with a compromised respiratory or immune system, exposure can be deadly.
“Asthma attacks can be fatal, and can be triggered by mould,” he notes.
Not all restoration contractors possess adequate training on mould remediation. Total Cleaning and Restoration and ServiceMaster agree expertise is paramount.
“The first step is to pump the pumpables,” says Skinner. “Get rid of the standing water, remove wet materials, and jump start the drying process. Sometimes we can save the carpet, but it’s faster and more efficient to remove the pad – it’s a big sponge.”
There is a narrow window of opportunity to get a basement dry without removing drywall and insulation.
“Once we have removed the water and wet materials, we can potentially save the drywall, but we have to be quick. We’re working against the clock,” Skinner says.
“We have to get the room up to about 27 C and increase air movement and volume. Unfortunately, if the basement is over 27 degrees, the upstairs will be closer to 35 and the noise of the fans is tremendous.”
More often, crews fast-forward the process by removing wet drywall and insulation and set up fans and dehumidifiers. Even though the front of the drywall may appear dry, the back is still wet, as is the insulation.
“Humidity wants to equalize throughout a house, so we shut doors and seal off affected rooms to stop the transfer,” continues Skinner. “We shoot for 40 per cent humidity overnight.”
Mould remediation is now an accepted science, and disaster restoration firms have access to a toolbox of resources, from moisture meters to industrial hygienists who can differentiate between pre-existing and claim-related moulds.
“The restoration industry has an accepted procedure and we’re ahead of the mould remediation issue,” Skinner says. “We have the ability to properly deal with flood related scenarios far better than in the past, and it’s important to choose a restoration firm with training and certification in this area.”
Prevention and preparation are equally important and there are a number of steps to avoid disasters. It starts with the building process.
“Draining and grading the yard is vitally important,” says David Finch of Wes Finch and Sons. The Bracebridge-based business has served Muskoka since David’s grandfather began selling gravel in 1929. The company began digging basements in the 1950s.
“Drainage around the footings is not designed to handle the volume of water on the lot and off the roof. It’s important to channel that away from the house as much as possible. It all starts with setting the height of the front door sill. We also recommend placing a healthy layer of clear stone beneath the slab. If you can’t stop the water then give it somewhere to go.”
Once the elevation is determined, the lot is graded to create a natural runoff.
“Sometimes it’s hard to picture, but it’s very important.”
Finch reports that while subdivisions often have contours pre-determined, grading is not codified.
“Every site is different and every shovel-full is a judgment call. Make sure you get an experienced excavation contractor.”
There is always a chance the water table will win, but there are still solutions.
Dalen Sharp of Clarke Basement Systems works on crawl spaces and basements across central and eastern Ontario and knows each is unique.
“We deliver custom solutions for each situation based on terrain, water table, and budget,” he says.
The company realizes often it can’t stop the water, so it creates channels to control and extract water. “We give it an escape route.”
One customer lives on a flood plain and regardless of what measures he took outside the house and on the land, the water was going to come into his basement.
“We have a system that works perfectly,” says Sharp. “It includes two cast iron submersible pumps that will discharge up to 45,000 litres of water a day. We have a 120 amp battery back-up that can run steady for a day or cycle for up to a week, and an alarm that tells us when the system switches to battery.”
Redundancy is key, according to Sharp. “A spare pump sitting beside the pit isn’t a back-up unless you live next to the sump hole. Think power outage. Have a system that automatically goes to battery and a second pump if necessary. Have an indicator alarm.”
Most of all, Sharp agrees grading is important and says it’s the first thing he inspects when assessing a customer’s property.
Clarke Basement Systems repairs damaged foundations, working from the inside of the house.
“We recognize concrete is porous and will absorb moisture. It will crack. We find the problem and create a channel to the home’s existing drains,” he explains.
The procedure usually takes only part of a day and is about one third less expensive than excavating the foundation.
An ounce of prevention sometimes isn’t enough, so having a frank discussion with an insurance provider will alleviate any misunderstanding.
“Don’t assume you have coverage for every scenario,” cautions Les Bell, State Farm’s Muskoka agent. “I don’t know of any available insurance for over-the-sill flooding in Canada for homeowners. The U.S. government offers coverage, but there’s nothing in Ontario.”
There is commercial coverage for floods due to rising water, but it usually comes with a very high deductible and is available only on commercial buildings, not home-based businesses, according to Adam Caswell, president of Hutcheson Reynolds Caswell.
An insurance policy is a binding contract and definitions and interpretations are finite.
Bell explains, “If water comes through a device designed to remove water, then there is coverage available, usually under a sewer and drain endorsement. It is a separate rider, so make sure it’s there. If water gets into a residence due to a sudden and accidental opening, like a falling tree creating a hole or the wind removing the roof, there’s coverage. Ice dams are covered. Burst washer hoses are covered.”
But not all policies are created equally. A comprehensive policy offers much more coverage than a broad form, which exempts certain circumstances and doesn’t cover water or the weight of ice and snow.
“Talk to your insurer,” stresses Bell. “Discuss expectations and needs and always update your provider on changes in circumstances. Insurers have a wealth of resource materials to help with loss prevention. Use what’s available to you. That’s why we’re here.”
Bell has an additional piece of advice. “The potential for weather-related claims is increasing. Make sure your policy keeps pace with nature. A lot of the January claims came from lost hydro that left sump pumps inoperable. We need to expect a lot more of this weather, so get a back-up sump pump, get a generator, discuss your insurance needs.”
Even on the Big East, where homeowners must be terrified about the spring melt, there is hope.
“We’re talking to the province about no-interest loans for people who need help raising their homes and utilities out of the flood range,” says Huntsville Mayor Claude Doughty. “If owners make a commitment to make their homes structurally able to withstand the flood, we’ll do everything we can to see they get help.”
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