ICLR retrofits a Hamilton home to reduce risk of basement flooding

The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), with the support of the City of Hamilton, has retrofitted a Hamilton home to reduce the risk of basement flooding.In July 2009, a major rainstorm caused a flood of one foot of water in the home’s basement, triggering a $75,000 insurance claim.Following the event, the homeowner and the ICLR disconnected downspouts, put in large rainbarrels, installed two sump pumps and pits, installed window wells and window well covers, did some landscaping and put in a natural gas-fired generator that provide power for the sump pumps in the event of a power outage.The City of Hamilton has had a Protective Plumbing Program (3P) in place since 2009. The program provides financial assistance and guidance to residential property owners respecting improvements to household plumbing in order to protect their properties from basement flooding and sewer backups.”Basement flooding, caused by overland water flows, infiltration and sewer backup, is a major concern for many urban municipalities in Canada,” said Paul Kovacs, ICLR’s executive director.”Protecting properties from flooding is a shared [public and private] responsibility.”