Preparing for Extreme Weather with Excalibur Insurance

Canada is incredible and boasts a wide range of various climate conditions. Where the Pacific coast tends to be relatively mild all year-round, the Prairie Provinces often brunt the worst of the extremes between summer and winter. In Ontario, there’s a healthy mix of freezing weather and slushy cold through November-February, then rainy through the spring, and hot and humid from June through August. As climate change starts to rear its ugly head and impact our global temperatures, we Ontarians are starting to see a higher frequency of extreme weather events.

Droughts, heat waves, ice storms, floods, rain, snow – even tornadoes and hurricanes aren’t unknown to the province. All of these have the potential to heavily impact communities, our properties, and our lives. The unfortunate reality of living in one of the best countries in the world is Canada’s propensity for extreme weather events.

Your property’s safety and your family’s safety could be in jeopardy. To protect yourself and your loved ones, here are a few tips on how to prepare yourself for extreme weather.

Flooding

More Ontarians nowadays are seeing the repercussions of flooding events. Water damage is one of the most prevalent risks to homeowners in the province, although it’s unfortunately not as commonly recognized. One thing to note is that standard home insurance will not automatically include overland flooding. You’ll need to purchase an endorsement; homes in flood plains may not always be eligible for this coverage, either.

Here are some tips for protecting your home against flooding:

• Put sealant around basement windows and around the base of ground-level doors.
• For any renovations below ground-level, use water-resistant building materials.
• Shut off all electricity to below ground-level floors or lower floors if there’s a flood warning.
• Anchor all fuel tanks to the floor. If the basement floods and the fuel tanks tip, they could leak and possibly cause a fire.
• Move all valuables, furniture, and electronics to an area of your home that is less likely to be impacted by an unexpected flood.
• Invest in flood barriers for basement doors/windows.
• Install backwater valves or plugs for all sewer connections.
• Install a water alarm.
• Ensure that your property lot is adequately graded. Build up the ground around your foundation, if possible, to ensure adequate drainage.
• Downspouts should always extend at least 2m away from your basement wall.
• Always ensure that the roof and eaves are draining properly.

Ask your broker about insurance for flooding events, as not every standard policy will include coverage for extreme water damage.

Hailstorms

Hailstorms can range from mild to very severe. In mild instances, where rain has turned to ice in very small amounts, the damage is minimal or non-existent. People are safe to move indoors and outdoors without the worry of being caught upside the head by a baseball-sized lump of ice.

But, in more extreme events, hail can form that have a diameter which exceeds 25.4mm – and those can cause serious damage to homes, cars, and even injuries to people. Southern Ontario tends to see more hailstorms than other regions of the province.

Here are some tips for protecting your home and car against hailstorms.

• If you are driving and huge hail starts to fail, pull over to the shoulder as quickly and safely as possible. Hail can greatly reduce visibility which, when your car is in-motion, can cause even more severe damages.
• If you can, try to park your car somewhere safe that is protected from hail, like a garage, under an overpass, or in an indoor parking lot.
• If you are at home, do not leave your house. You can do preventative maintenance in advance of a storm by keeping your roofing and gutters in good repair. If you see a storm warning, bring all patio furniture, grills, potted plants, and equipment from the yard indoors or cover them properly with a tarp.
• Close all your windows, as well as the blinds and curtains.
• If you live in a hailstorm-prone area, consider installing storm shutters or reinforcing your roof with hail-resistant material, like metal, tile, or rubber.
• Always keep your trees trimmed to avoid the risk of broken branches falling into your home.

Hail is a tough one, because it’s easier to prevent damage before than it is to avoid damage in the moment. Be proactive. If your home has been damaged by hail, call your insurance broker for your next steps.

Snowstorms

Heavy snowfall is common in Ontario and throughout a lot of Canada, but extremely heavy snowfall – especially if it happens early in the season – can cause a lot of damage. In extreme cases, snowstorms can cut out power to communities, forcing people to stay indoors until power can be returned and life can resume as normal.

Like hailstorm damage, snowstorm damage is easier prevented prior to the actual snowfall than it is in the moment. Here are some tips:

• Do a roof inspection in the fall before the first snowfall to ensure that your roof is up to snuff and can withstand the heavy impact of winter weather.
• Check your attic and its insulation. Seal any leaks or cracks to avoid them from letting warm air out of your home.
• Ensure that the attic is well ventilated to avoid ice damming.
• Remove snow from stairs, doors, and balconies as quickly as you can. Make sure to be especially thorough with emergency exit areas.
• Ensure that there’s considerable clearance around any pipes and tanks, and that they’re protected if snow and ice fall from the roof.
• All roof openings, windows, and skylights should have adequate weather stripping to prevent any unexpected snowmelt from coming through.
• Before the temperature drops, drain all outside plumbing lines and water lines to avoid pipes bursting and causing damage.
• If you have a chimney, schedule its annual inspection before winter.

Most standard homeowners policies will include coverage for weather-related damages. Call your insurance broker if a snowstorm may have damaged your property.

Finally: have a household “emergency kit” for multi-day events.

Few households ever imagine themselves to be in a situation where they’re forced to stay in their homes for multiple hours, even multiple weeks until help arrives. It’s better to think proactively and be prepared in case something like this ever does happen, rather than be left floundering in the event of an emergency. Severe weather can result in situations where families must be housebound.

A fully inclusive emergency kit should ideally include the following:

• 7-day supply of water
• 7-day supply of non-perishable food (or food requiring no heat/minimal assembly)
• Hand-crank flashlight
• Battery-powered/hand-crank radio
• Spare batteries
• Can opener
• First-aid kit
• Personal hygiene items
• Prescription medications (for 7 days)
• Extra cellphone, with charger
• Cash
• Baby and pet supplies
• Emergency contact info
• Warm clothes
• Blankets
• Multi-purpose tool

Some violent episodes pose a risk to life, or to property. If a terrible weather event ever strikes your area, it’s better knowing you’re insured. Once everyone’s been safely accounted for and you aren’t in any immediate danger, contact your insurance broker. It’s time to get back to living.