It’s never too late to take some extra measures to protect your home, especially those who reside in flood-prone areas. If this is your first spring in a new home, ask around the neighbourhood to find out if the area has ever had issues with flooding during heavy spring rainfalls. Occasionally, improper home maintenance may be the culprit in a basement flood, so take the proper steps to prevent an expensive mess in your home! The first place to start is with your roof and eavestroughs. Take a look at your home’s system and make sure things are functioning as they should. Gutters should be free of debris and correctly connected to downspouts to ensure that water is efficiently flowing from the roof. Also ensure that downspouts are carrying water far enough away from your home (about two metres is a good rule of thumb) and depositing it on a surface that slopes away from your foundation. Check the storm sewers on the street near your home, clearing them of any debris. If you ha...

On average, gutters accumulate anywhere from 40-250 pounds of debris per year! This buildup can create all kinds of problems for your home such as foundation erosion, mosquito infestations and damage to your roof and gutter system, which can cost thousands of dollars to replace. 1. Remove all debris from your gutters. Get every leaf and twig with a gloved hand. Go section-by-section, dump the debris you can reach in a bucket, and then move the ladder down (very carefully). 2. Check for damages. After removing debris, check for corrosion and any holes or dents. Tip: If you find small holes, place a piece of painter’s tape by the hole so you can easily find it when you’re ready to repair. If you’ve found small holes in your gutter, you can seal them with clear silicone sealant. 3. Test the drainage. Gently run water through your gutter with a garden hose to ensure your gutter is draining correctly. If water is standing still, increase the grade of your gutter to create and mainta...

The last thing you want to do when you step out of a nice warm shower is dry yourself off with a nasty-smelling towel. The stench can be overwhelming, and it really puts a damper on that “fresh from the shower” feeling. Luckily, this problem is easy to solve! With a few strategic cleaning cycles, the musty stench can be a thing of the past. Here’s how: The Golden Towel Rule: Do not let your towels stay wet! For each of these methods, it’s important that the towels are dried immediately. Set a timer to ensure that your clothes are switched from the washing machine to the dryer promptly. If you line dry, hang the wet towels in a sunny spot until they’re completely dry. Method #1: Vinegar Riding Solo Musty, smelly towels don’t play well with others, so give them their own load. Add one cup of white vinegar to the load – no detergent or fabric softener – and run the washer on the hottest possible setting. The vinegar will kill any lingering bacteria. Then, leave the clothes ...

We’re heading into the home stretch of winter! There’s probably only a few more big snow falls in our future, which means it’s time to start planning for spring - which is probably the most fun home maintenance season. However, one thing that often gets overlooked, with catastrophic results, is preparing for the spring thaw. Make sure your home is prepared with these tips for both inside and outside of your home to make sure you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on repairing damage, or even worse, that your valuables get damaged by the water. Here are 17 ways you can prep your home to ensure you aren’t the victim of water damage this spring: Outside Your Home Get any remaining snow away from your house. Check property for anything that’s preventing the melting snow from draining away from your house and make sure there is a clear path for it to follow. Make sure your eaves and downspouts are in good shape and don’t need any repairs. Get them cleaned...