Climate Resilience and Home Hardening for Ontario Properties

Water and basement resilience

• Maintain roof drainage, eavestroughs, downspouts, grading, window wells and foundation drainage.
• Test sump equipment and consider appropriate alarms and backup power.
• Keep sensitive contents elevated and maintain a current home inventory.
• Ask qualified professionals about backwater protection, foundation repairs and recurring seepage.

Roof, wind and hail readiness

• Inspect roof coverings, flashing, vents, siding, doors and windows on a planned schedule.
• Secure outdoor items before storms and maintain trees through qualified arborists.
• Keep emergency contractor and insurer contact information accessible.
• Document the exterior before storm season to help identify new damage.

Fire, smoke and power-outage readiness

• Maintain smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms and a practiced escape plan.
• Use electrical equipment safely and arrange licensed electrical work.
• Plan safe backup lighting and generator use; never operate fuel-burning equipment indoors.
• Use high-efficiency filtration or indoor-air strategies only as appropriate to the building and manufacturer guidance.

Recovery readiness

• Know water, gas and electrical shutoffs and who is authorized to use them.
• Keep a secure home inventory, policy contacts, emergency numbers and copies of critical records.
• Decide in advance who can access the property when owners are away.
• After a loss, prioritize safety, documentation, source control and prompt professional assessment.

Winter water damage prevention

Basement flooding prevention

Hail damage response