A photo of recent flooding in Moncton, N.B. (Submitted by Wade Perry)
Heavy rain is bad news at any time of the year — but it is even worse when the ground is frozen solid.
Several people experienced flooding during the major winter storm which hit New Brunswick this past weekend.
Kurt Wootton, manager of government relations with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, said there are steps you can take to help protect your home from flooding.
“I know there’s a lot of snow right now in New Brunswick but trying to keep snow away from the house goes a long way,” said Wootton.
“Make sure downspouts are pushing away from the home, six to eight feet ideally because there is going to be a lot of snowmelt.”
Rain, warm temperatures pose localized flooding concern https://t.co/S9DcXx2wyr pic.twitter.com/M691jccBlS
— NBEMO / OMUNB (@NBEMO_OMUNB) January 23, 2019
If water does enter your home, try to mitigate it as quickly as possible and contact your insurance company or broker, Wootton said.
With temperatures expected to get colder this weekend, it is also important to keep an eye on your water pipes.
“Run water through the pipes every now and again to prevent the freezing,” Wootton said. “Think of a river — if a river is flowing, it doesn’t really freeze up.”
Wootton said some companies do offer flood insurance, but you should double check to see if you have it.
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