Rapid winter melts could harm eavestroughs, sump pumps

Reducing your risk of a flooded basement From CTV Kitchener's Max Wark: Want to prevent your basement from flooding? It's a matter of following the water.

Experts are advising homeowners to check their eavestroughs and sump pumps to prevent flooding during this winter warmup.

Todd Martin, the owner of St. Jacobs-based Crack Specialists, says doing some preventative maintenance before the water melts could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

“Quite often it’s two, three, or four small problems that cause the larger problem,” he says.

Martin advises homeowners keep eavestroughs clean of leaves and other debris to help prevent ice damming. If there is ice build-up, it should be looked at.

“The eavestroughs are a very important function in terms of managing the water off the roof,” he says.

Martin also suggests checking the sump pump when turning the clocks forward or back so any issues can be dealt with before a failure.

“We see a lot of issues with sump pump failures which really can be catastrophic,” he says.

Homeowners should get used to these types of winters warns Robert McLeman, a professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. He predicts they are not going away.

“Within any given winter, it’s almost guaranteed you’re going to get a number of rapid freeze-thaw events and that is definitely what we’re going to see more of in the coming decades,” he says.

Martin says if there is flooding or dampness to not put off dealing with the issue. Often, repairs can be done for cheaper than people expect, and delaying can cause larger and more expensive problems.