"Take a look before you look down": professional tips for flood protection

Kirk MacLeod pulled a dead ball the size of a fist from the gutter he cleaned Tuesday morning.

Last night, after temperatures below zero degrees, the gutter plug froze.

"Clean your downpipes after winter," said MacLeod, owner of Keir MacLeod, a vinyl-based vinyl-based company. "Now it's frozen, so it's just a big ice-ball, sometimes it's very hard to come out."

The owners must verify that their channels are not blocked. (Brian Higgins / CBC)

While the heavy rains are heading for the island, MacLeod takes a look at the homes where he works to make sure the gutters do their job well. After collecting the debris from the gutters along the roof, he turned his attention to the downpipes.

The more time, the better it is to keep the water away from the foundations.

The gutters prevent flooding.

"Two meters minimum," said MacLeod. "We often recommend that people put a sewer pipe at this time of the year ... this only adds to the ditch in the house."

MacLeod believes that gutters are the first line of defense against a flooded basement.

"Look up, before you look down," he said.

Josh Farquharson, General Manager of ServiceMaster PEI, said the owners should work immediately with buckets and pots to clean the water in their basement. (Brian Higgins / CBC)

Josh Farquharson sees things from the basement. As General Manager of ServiceMaster PEI, a restaurant company, he has seen a lot of water damage.

"The main thing with this type of weather event is to make sure that the sump pumps are working properly," said Farquharson. "Make sure they are free of debris in the hole, just let them run and do their thing."

Farquharson advises homeowners to examine their sump pumps and manually raise the "float" to mimic the effect of the water lift to ensure proper engine and pump operation.

According to Josh Farquharson, homeowners should inspect the sump pump and make sure the engine and pump are working before it starts to rain. (Brian Higgins / CBC)

An in-service sump pump is used when the float reaches a sufficient distance.

Emergency water pumps are also an option. These are pumps that work with batteries that protect against flooding when the power supply to the house is interrupted.

"We've seen them a bit more in recent years with power outages, but they're still rare," Farquharson said.

The water from the sump pump must be pumped from the basement into the yard. (Brian Higgins / CBC)

Items stored in flooded basements should be stored in sealed containers, not in boxes, and if possible on the floor, Farquharson said.

When the water begins to fill the basement, the owners should work with buckets and mops.

Clean the water as fast as possible.

"It's up to the owners to limit the loss and now you can start cleaning if you can," said Farquharson.

Farquharson and MacLeod said they would be busy with repairs and restorations in the coming days due to heavy rains.

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