Are basement living spaces a good idea in Quebec after widespread flooding?
Experts say there are ways to prepare — but storing valuables on the floor is risky
In the days following Friday's torrential rains, water-logged furniture and belongings were piled in front of homes around southern Quebec as residents cleaned out their flood-damaged basements.
Sophia Lundy, who owns Masolu Construction on Montreal's South Shore, said people misuse their basements and they certainly shouldn't be filling them with anything valuable.
"You have to understand the use of your space," she said. "Avoid storing anything directly on the basement floor. Always have something to elevate it."
She said people should avoid making their basement a high-value living space.
On Thursday, Premier François Legault was asked about the need for restrictions on finished basements.
"We'll have to look at what the impacts will be in the next 10, 50 years," said Legault. "Should we live in a basement or not? It's the kind of questions we will need to ask ourselves. But in the short term, we don't see a need to table a bill like that."
Legault said it's clear that, in the long term, "we will all need to adjust."
He said climate change is already causing problems and Quebec will need to adapt, but programs are in place to help mitigate disasters, such as zoning restrictions and investments in erosion prevention.
To protect homes from flooding, Lundy said people should never dump oils or fats down their drains, and they should avoid using water too much during heavy rain to prevent backup.
She encourages homeowners to install backwater valves which stop sewers from backing up into homes.
She said people should check with their municipality to understand flood risks in their area, ensure their gutters are draining away from the house and they should keep catch basins clear.
She said any cracks in foundation walls should be sealed, and french drains installed if necessary.
Lundy said landscaping should draw water away from foundations as well, and people should make sure water isn't pooling next to the building.
Still, even with all these efforts, basements remain at risk, according to Mike Reynolds, operations director at Écohabitation, a Montreal organization that supports sustainable housing projects.
"When you are building a basement, it's inherently the problem. You are digging a hole. Water is going to find it," he said.
"Most basements are built wrong where we are building vapour barriers and sealing the moisture in."
Reynolds said one of the main issues for flooding is water not flowing away from the house when it rains. He said eavestroughs, channels that direct water, are a good fix.
Marco Lasalle is the director of technical services with APCHQ, a provincewide association for housing construction contractors.
He said you also need the right equipment inside to help keep basements dry, namely a sump pump which removes accumulated water.
Lasalle said finishing basements can be done cheaply, adding more living space to a home. This is why so many people in Quebec finish their basements, he explained, and in most cases, flooding is preventable.
Soon after Friday's storm, Hugo Bourgoin, a City of Montreal spokesperson, encouraged building owners to visit the city's website for advice and recommendations on how to protect properties against sewer backups and urban flooding.
Written by Isaac Olson with files from Sara Eldabaa