Torontonians are officially on flood watch! Flooded basements, commuters stuck on GO Transit, TTC delays, DVP under water, many out of power…and the list goes on! In my case…having my neighbour's pool flood directly into my basement – #headache! See the photo gallery below to see what I'm dealing with! I have compiled some useful information to help with flooded basements, power outages and of course, overflowing pools!
Overflowing pool Tips & Info: Click Here.
City of Toronto’s Basement Flooding Tips & Info:
1. If you experience basement flooding, call 311 immediately (24 hours a day, seven days a week). City staff will inspect the problem, assess the flooding and attempt to determine the source(s) of the flooding.
2. Call your insurance company as soon as possible and report property damage caused by the flooding.
- Take photos of damage caused by flooding for your insurance claim.
- Keep receipts from emergency repair work or clean-ups done to prevent or reduce further damage.
- If the flooding is a result of a blocked drain pipe, leaking foundation walls or poor lot drainage on your property, then you are responsible for repairs and any subsequent damage caused by flooding. Contact your insurance company to discuss coverage.
- You may submit a claim in writing with your name, telephone number, home address, date, location and details of the incident and send it to: City Clerk's Office, City of Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W. Toronto, ON M5H 2N2 Or fax: 416-392-2980 or e-mail clerk@toronto.ca.
3. Your claim will be forwarded to the City's insurance adjustors for evaluation. A letter of acknowledgement will be sent to you.
4. Be mindful of health and safety when cleaning up your flooded basement. Exposure to contaminants carried by flood water or sewer back-ups into basements can be dangerous. Homeowners may be exposed to waterborne diseases, corrosive cleaning agents and irritants found in leftover sludge from a flooded basement. Electrical accidents may occur because of contact with water and electricity.
- Consider hiring a professional cleaning company familiar with cleaning sewage contaminated basements.
- Keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup has been completed.
- Dress appropriately – wear overalls, gloves, protective eyeglasses, rubber boots and a mask.
- Open windows to let fresh air in.
- Stay away from electrical equipment. Have a qualified electrician assess the situation, if uncertain of potential electrical hazards.
- If you can, shut off the electrical power. (Note: would affect the operation of a sump pump or sewage ejector).
- Water could extinguish a pilot light on a gas appliance. If you detect gas, leave the house immediately and contact the gas company.
- Minor debris can be put out for regular garbage pick-up (See your Garbage and Recycling Collection Calendar for information).
- Discard all contaminated items that cannot be washed and disinfected, (such as, mattresses, carpeting, carpet padding, rugs, upholstered furniture, cosmetics, plush toys, baby toys, pillows, foam-rubber items, books, wall coverings, and most paper products).
- Wash all surfaces with hot water and liquid detergent, rinse and thoroughly dry and ventilate the area. Use de-humidifier and fans if necessary.
- Sanitize walls and floors using a solution of household bleach (mix 1 cup bleach with 5 gallons of water). Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products. For more details, visit the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention's website
- Remove and discard drywall and insulation that has been contaminated with sewage or flood waters.
- Wash all clothes worn during the cleanup in hot water (check manufacturer's washing instructions) and detergent. These clothes should be washed separately from uncontaminated clothes and linens.
- Throw out canned foods, home-prepared food in jars, meats and dairy products and any packaged foods that may have been affected by the flood waters – check for damaged packaging, leaks, and corrosion at seams and joints of cans.
- If your freezer's power is off, move the frozen food to another freezer or throw it out if you can't keep it frozen.
- If in doubt, throw it out. Do not consume potentially contaminated food. For more information contact Toronto Public Health by calling 311 or visit Toronto Public Health.
City of Toronto’s Power Outages Tips & Info:
- Ensure you have the following items in a convenient place – flashlight, first aid kit, warm blankets, matches, candles, a battery-powered radio and fresh batteries. Place the emergency kit in a pre-designated location, so you can find it in the dark.
- Note cordless or hands-free phones don't work during a power outage. Be sure to have at least one standard phone connection available.
- If you're using lamps and appliances when the power goes out, turn them off to avoid possible damage when the power is back on.
- Consider using surge protectors to protect sensitive electronic equipment. If you're at home when a storm approaches, you may want to just unplug your electronic equipment.
- Have an alternate plan in place to ensure the continuity of any life-support needs. This may include making special arrangements to spend time with a friend or relative during an outage or using a back-up power supply.
- For more power outage tips, visit our Web site at www.torontohydro.com/poweroutage.
Be safe Toronto and keep praying to the weather Gods for NO MORE RAIN!
