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                                                                                                       Barbecue Season Is In Full Swing: Don’t Go Up In Flames


The joys of outdoor cooking also bring fire and associated risks. Here are some safety reminders for gas and propane barbecues to protect you and your property from harm or damage.
•    Never operate a barbecue in an enclosed space, close to a structure, or near combustibles. Have a one metre radius around it free of obstructions. 
•    Keep your barbecue in tip top shape. Check for hose breakage, valve leaks, and other parts before securing the tank well and turning on the gas. 
•    When in use, never leave the grill unattended, and when finished turn the tank off before the burners so the remaining gas in the lines can burn off. This can help prevent a flash the next time the BBQ is in use.
•    Make sure your fire extinguisher is easily accessible and in good working order. 
Additional Tips
•    Propane companies use an additive to create an unpleasant odour like rotten eggs to make a propane leak easier to detect, so you can shut off supply immediately, stop using the grill, and clear the area.
•    Although the risk of carbon monoxide is low when using a BBQ outdoors, it is not entirely eliminated. Learn to recognize the signs of CO2 poisoning and take appropriate action.
•    Store propane tanks in an upright position, in a spot where they are unlikely to be knocked or bumped to prevent any safety risk.
 

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How to Mitigate Flood Risk in Your Home

How to Mitigate Flood Risk in Your Home

 

Overland water, or flood risk, is greater than ever in our region due to two main factors. Climate change has induced more water coming down into the Great Lakes catchment basin over shorter periods of time, and more frequently. Additionally, over the last 100 years, over 70% of the natural infrastructure, (forests, fields, and wetlands), have been removed.

Communities at greatest risk should take measures to retain as much of the remaining natural infrastructure as possible; further safeguards include building berms, digging diversion channels, and creating holding ponds to collect runoff.

At your own residence:

  • Work with a contractor or foundation specialist to ensure you have the recommended 5% downward slope in the immediate area around your foundation which would angle excess water down and away from your home. Any foundation cracks wider than a dime or “step cracks”, (both horizontal and vertical), will need to be repaired as well.
  • If you have a basement, install watertight windows and elevate window wells at that level.
  • If you require a sump pump, install dual sump pumps with battery backup.
  • Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clear, let water flow, and deposit it a safe distance from your foundation.