With climate change comes more extreme weather in Canada – especially more rainfall. For homeowners, the risk of a basement flood keeps rising with the rainfall levels. The same issue comes up when the snow melts.

Moisture is the enemy to any home, sparing no part of it. That includes bricks, timber, floors, block structures, not to mention a finished basement.

Waterproofing through landscaping

If there is a lot of rain, the ground can only absorb so much water. That extra water has to go somewhere, and you don’t want it leaking into your home!

Landscaping your property right away can help with that. There are several helpful tips when it comes to the yard or garden. These will better protect you and your home:

  • Do try to slope the ground away from the foundation of your home – a good six to 10 feet. That way water will flow away from your house rather than towards it.
  • Do install a hard surface, like asphalt or patio stones, next to the home. You need to keep water as far away from the house as you can.
  • Do plant natural grasses, as well as native plants, trees and bushes around your home. Because they tend to have longer roots, you don’t need to water them as much. Plus, they usually can handle it if a big rainstorm occurs. Plants with shallower roots can get damaged if they sit in water for too long. You need to plant those ones in areas that drain well.
  • Do consider putting in a rain garden, which has a deeper area built in to collect and absorb water. It can turn what might have been a flooded backyard into a beautiful landscape.
  • Do keep your lawn healthy and don’t cut the grass too short. The deeper the roots are to absorb water, the less chance of flooding
  • Do point rain spouts to where you want water to go, such as toward vegetation that can absorb a lot of water
  • Do make sure that during the winter snow is removed away from the home’s foundation
  • Do know if your property is at risk for flooding. You can go to the government’s Flood Damage Reduction Program to learn what makes areas more likely to see a flood
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