Parts of Canada have been on high alert amid a destructive tornado season. A pair of tornadoes that struck southern Alberta in July has now surpassed $60 million in insured losses. A tornado in the Bergen area on July 7 and another in Redcliff on July 18 have been declared catastrophes.
Most recently, meteorologists confirmed a tornado struck Coronation, Alberta on July 31, the seventh such event this season, with other storms under investigation. Volatile weather has put many Canadians on edge, and for a good reason, said Jim Mandeville (pictured), SVP for large loss at First Onsite Property Restoration.
“We used to go a whole summer in Southern Ontario, and sure, there’d be some thunderstorms, but there really wouldn’t be much or any damage,” Mandeville shared. “It seems like every year now we have a very severe thunderstorm with straight-line winds or a tornado that impacts homes and businesses, that don’t just sort of flow through farm fields or forest.”
Mandeville has seen his fair share of tornadoes during his nearly two decades in the restoration business. Speaking to Insurance Business, he stressed the importance of regularly inspecting properties for risk.
“Many of us are guilty of going through life and assuming that our building is good. It’s important to walk around your property regularly before a storm happens and look up and down,” advised Mandeville.
Looking up means checking for diseased or dying trees that could be a hazard during storms and inspecting the edge of rooflines to ensure the troughs are intact. Looking down the building means checking around windows and doors to ensure adequate caulking and looking closely for possible entry points for water.
Guarding against flood damage should be a top priority. “As we look down further, we’re looking at the grade around the building or the level of the Earth around the building to make sure that there are no areas where water can pool up against the building,” Mandeville continued. “Nearly every building and home in this country has a basement. If you have water pulling up against the side of the house during a sudden downpour, that water will make its way in your house.”
According to Mandeville, these inspections should happen before and after severe weather events. Owners should also guard against complacency because while one storm may seem to cause minor damage, it may not be the same case next time around.
“A lot of times, what we find is that, after a severe storm, everything inside appears to be fine. Then later, we have a heavy rainstorm, and suddenly there’s water damage in the house. And it’s because there was damage under the roof during the previous storm,” Mandeville warned.
Despite best efforts, property damage may be unavoidable in the wake of a tornado or similarly powerful storms. For policyholders, the number one step is to get in touch with their broker or insurance provider about their situation. Mandeville then advised contacting professionals, such as a restoration contractor or an arborist, to make a physical assessment of their property and come up with a plan.
Mandeville also shared lessons he’s learned responding to many of Canada’s most significant natural catastrophes: “In the initial aftermath, everyone is really on board. It’s truly a community effort to finish everything during the initial cleanup. The restoration industry will mobilize in great scale, even in a smaller remote community, where the challenge often comes in when it comes time to do the true rebuilding.”
Brokers should steer their clients towards timely and wise decisions around any reconstruction project. “Often, we see people who take this opportunity to decide to make a whole bunch of changes. Indecision can slow down that restoration effort,” Mandeville said.
Extreme labor shortages in Canada’s construction industry are also causing considerable delays in post-disaster restoration, pushing many property owners to take up the task themselves. But this may not be in their interests, Mandeville cautioned.
“Often, in the initial shock or aftermath of a disaster, a homeowner or business owner might think: ‘I can fix this myself,’ but it’s not always the best decision. Just because you can lift a chainsaw doesn’t mean you should use one.
“Brokers can provide that sounding board and professional advice to policyholders. That’s really where the value is,” he added.
Tornadoes and other severe weather events are growing in intensity and frequency in Canada. With this, Mandeville anticipates construction strategies with an eye to climate risk becoming more common. The higher cost of resilient building materials seems to be the primary barrier, but he said it makes more and more sense for home and property owners to invest.
“The building materials you use, and the construction methodology you use during that either renovation or construction process, will help mitigate future risk. That means ensuring you install a backflow preventer on the sewer line or fire-resistant exterior cladding materials,” Mandeville listed. “We’ve got a lot of room to grow. The awareness is building, but there’s certainly a long way we can go.”
