Basements
5 Tips To Ensure Your Basement Stays Dry Year-round
Published on May 1, 2025
A basement flood could happen to you – and by then, it’s too late. Water damage is costly and could cause you more problems down the road. Here’s what you need to know to prevent basement flooding, and how the City of Toronto’s Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program can help.
TIP #1: DON’T THINK IT CAN’T HAPPEN TO YOU
Don’t let your finished basement end up like a scene from Waterworld. Whether your home is new or old, every home is at risk of basement flooding. While there is no crystal ball to determine when a flood will happen, it’s more likely to occur during heavy rainfall or once the snow and ice melts.
TIP #2: DISPOSE OF HOUSEHOLD ITEMS CORRECTLY
Sewage backups can destroy your furniture and precious family memories. Sewer lines can get overwhelmed or blocked when items are incorrectly flushed or tossed down the drain. The main culprits? Fats, oils and cooking grease, wipes of any kind, and hygiene products. Don’t let this happen to you – read the full list of items to avoid here.
TIP #3: UNDERSTAND AND MAINTAIN YOUR PLUMBING
As well as understanding what not to put down your drains, it’s good to know how to maintain your plumbing to reduce the potential of a backup. Have a City-licensed plumber inspect the sanitary pipe under your basement floor for weeping tile connections and check the overall health of your drainage system. Knowing about potential problems before they start can reduce your risk of a flood.
TIP #4: BEWARE OF DRAINAGE FAILURE
Basement flooding can happen when stormwater or groundwater seeps into the home through cracks or leaks in your home’s foundation, basement walls, or through basement windows or doors. Water can also get into your home due to poor lot grading or drainage, weeping tile failure, sump pump failure, overflowing eavestroughs or leaking or plugged downspouts. One quick fix you can do yourself to prevent potential water seepage is redirecting your downspout. Tip: Here’s how to disconnect your downspout and direct it onto your property where the water can be absorbed.
TIP #5: INVEST IN FLOOD PROTECTION DEVICES
Here’s the good news. To help homeowners be proactive about protecting their basements from flooding, the City of Toronto has a Basement Flooding Subsidy Program, where homeowners (from single-family to duplex, triplex or fourplex properties) can qualify for up to $3,400 per property to install flood protection devices, which may include a backwater valve, sump pump, severance and capping of a storm sewer or external weeping tile connection. Homeowners can get reimbursed up to 80 per cent of the invoiced cost, up to a certain maximum per item installed.
If you’re ready to protect your home, apply for the Basement Flooding Subsidy Program here.