Make Sure Your Waterproofing Contractor Is Covered BY WSIB

WSIB Covered Basement Contractors Ontario

Insurance and income tax are said to be among mankind’s greatest grudge expenses. They seldom seem to provide the benefits to match their cost. That’s why we try to put off settling those bills for as long as possible, and do our best to cut them back to the minimum. Sometimes it seems we’re hoping they’ll go away.

The problem with computers is that we are becoming far too used to having an undo button, and that’s spreading beyond our keyboards too. However time machines do not exist, the revenue service has a habit of getting its way, and medical bills for accident injuries have become outrageously expensive.

Ontario WSIB for Waterproofing Companies

Accidents Will Happen

Work-based accidents in Ontario are still surprisingly common.  Power tools (and the fact that some contractors work alone on jobs in order to remain competitive) ensure this. When an uninsured worker is hurt, the costs of emergency transportation, surgery, after care, rehabilitation and temporary loss of income are horrendous. An uninsured worker, if not covered by their waterproofing contractor company, will either have to pay their own medical bills or look to other liable parties for to pay for medical costs.  Those liable persons can be the homeowner where the work was being performed.

So the question is, are you comfortable getting sued by a worker because their employer does not carry the required insurance?  You may say that couldn’t happen, but it happens every day.  Lawyers look for the person who carries the most insurance and liability, and that person is the homeowner when it comes to workplace accidents on their property.

WSIB Insurance

Until the Ontario Workman’s Safety and Insurance Board introduced its accident insurance scheme, local contractors and employers were both at risk. Contractors who do not enjoy the Board’s accident coverage and do not employ other means of workplace employment still face their costs of injury alone. However they also have the right to sue their customers – and some successfully do. It is not only their homes that sometimes have to be sold.

But Isn’t this Coverage Automatic?

It’s supposed to be. However a contractor still has to register with the WSIB and pay an annual fee. Some waterproofing contractors may take the risk of not being insured to save money (and try and undercut reputable companies who carry the necessary insurance), while some think they can’t afford it or for the employees they hire. Others simply forget.

A related problem is that some employers either don’t know about Ontario’s WSIB insurance, or just assume that everything’s under control. When that happens, both parties are literally surfing naked on a potential time bomb, if you’ll excuse the mixed analogy.

What If a Contractor is Injured on my property as a homeowner?

The law requires that you as the homeowner take reasonable steps to minimize the effects of injury, and ensure the individual receives the necessary attention. After that, your involvement should be over. Unless, of course, a lawyer thinks they can prove your negligence. In the latter case the legal bills alone could break you.

How Can I be Sure a contractor has proper coverage?

Ask to see a waterproofing company’s Ontario WSIB clearance number, which is now valid for ninety days. If they’re not insured, think twice before you hire them. It’s simply not worth the risk. There are many waterproofing companies operating in Toronto with very little insurance or none at all.  They operate out of the back of their van and charge low rates because they are taking big risks for themselves, their workers and you the homeowner.  These same waterproofing companies will offer generous warranties, knowing full well they have no intention (or means) of hounoring them.  If they’ve forgotten it (or think they’re covered), the WSIB website is able to provide instant confirmation online.

If you really want to hire a waterproofing contractor but the insurance angle isn’t crystal clear, then this should be your first port of call. After all, it costs you nothing yet could and will prevent you from potential liability if an injury occurs on your property.

 

Tips for Drying Out Your Wet Basement

wet basements richmond hillI’ve always believed that the only way to fix a water leak is at its source. This applies as much to kettles as it does to car pumps. If you have a wet basement the same logic applies. It’s pointless to even begin to think of drying it out, until you’ve found a way to stop what’s causing the wet conditions in your basement.

Toronto is famous for having wet basements, the extreme weather changes, rain/snow and aging foundations makes it the perfect candidate for water leaks.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t take preventative action to protect your assets stored down there, there are several things you can do to curtail the situation and keep the environment safe down there. This does not only make sense, it’s also imperative, because your insurance company will most likely not pay out if they conclude that you didn’t take reasonable steps to curtail the problem.

Possible Causes of Your Problem

  • If your wet basement problem develops suddenly, then something must have changed. The most likely possibility is that rainwater has found a way to saturate it from the outside. Typical causes include overflowing gutters immediately above it, a faulty irrigation system you just put in, something you or your neighbour did to change the flow of surface water, or the failure of surface water-proofing.

 

These are often problems that you could solve yourself, perhaps with assistance from your garden service, or the local handyperson. Of course, it will take time for your basement to dry out. However, you can speed up the process by switching on electric fans, and turning the central heating up to maximum down there.

 

  • If you’ve noticed your wet basement getting steadily worse as years pass, then you’re likely faced with a subsurface water problem that needs an expert to address it. Possibilities include:

 

a)    Failure of existing French drains / weeping tile systems caused by tree roots and eventual blockage

 

b)    A rising water table as a consequence of global warming, leading to hydrostatic pressure against the wall and floors

 

c)    Failure of a window well through aging, or a stoppage in its underground drainage system

 

d)    Back-pressure on your sewerage line as a result of cracked pipes or an overloaded municipal system.

These wet basement problems are generally beyond the ability of the average householder, who would be wiser to call in a professional waterproofing contractor. At least that way you have a guarantee that what is done will work, and that you are not applying untested skills learned “on the hop”.

Consequences of Doing Nothing

The cement products that hold your foundations and walls together will ultimately fail if there’s water continually filtering through them. When that happens, partial or complete demolition and re-building may be the only option you could have left.

If you wish to protect your basement from long-term degradation, then you should consider calling in a firm that’s an expert in dealing with a wet basements.

 

Installing an Interior Weeping Tile System

There’s inevitably water in the ground around a basement, and, because cement-based walls and floors are porous, water will seep through them if it can go nowhere else. This water could be from rain filtering downwards, groundwater seeping horizontally through the strata, or a water table pressing upwards.

Here in Toronto, many basements have chronic water problems and there are several solutions to cure the condition, depending on the type of water problem present.  While we usually recommend an exterior approach to waterproofing, sometimes that is not an option.  In that situation, installing an interior weeping tile system in your basement can be a safe and proven alternative.

When this water comes up against a basement wall or floor, it applies hydrostatic pressure that can be surprisingly powerful. If it can’t find a way through, it pools against the outside bottom of the basement walls, and gradually saturates the inside surface if there’s nowhere else to go.  While an interior weeping tile system will not waterproof your basement, will will effectively manage the water entering your basement and channel it away so you never see it.

Exterior Weeping Tilesinstalling interior weeping tile

The traditional method of preventing this is to install a drainage system along the outside bottom of the basement walls. These days this comprises of a plastic pipe typically 40mm in diameter and with holes punched into it along the length. This is wrapped in a water-permeable sheet to keep the dirt out, and then buried at a gently sloping angle leading to a discharge point.

Unfortunately these “weeping tiles” as they are called (the name’s a reference to past building practice) may become clogged as time passes. When that happens, the ground water switches to “Plan B” – that is, it accumulates until the hydrostatic pressure is high enough to find a way into the basement.

What to Do About the Water

Gravel to fill in weeping tile system in Toronto home

You cannot keep water back from the inside of a basement, at least not permanently. This means you either have to excavate, and replace the failed exterior weeping tiles or you have to allow the water to seep through, and then remove it continuously. Canadian homeowners often view the latter as the better of two evils. That’s okay, as long as you’re not using your basement as a living space.

This is obviously not an ideal solution. In fact we recommend you replace the outside system if all possible. Unfortunately, sometimes accessing the outside perimeter of a basement isn’t possible, that’s when an interior weeping tile system comes into play. Installing an interior weeping tile system isn’t a DIY project, as you can see from the steps below.

STEP 1: Break out a trench all around the room. This needs to be around eighteen inches from the walls, and to bottom out below the footings.
STEP 2: Lay in the weeping tile as we described, cover it with gravel and re-pour the floor

STEP 3: Create a sump at the bottom end of the run of weeping tile, and install an automatic electric sump pump to carry the water away before it overflows. Fit a lid so it looks a tidier.

 

How It Works

Finished weeping tile system in Toronto basement

Water always gravitates down to the lowest point. The weeping tiles attract it like a magnet. It’s taken away before it rises to above the footings. The result’s a perfectly dry basement inside, provided you hired a professional who’s registered, and knows what they are doing. While installing an interior weeping tile system is not the ideal solution for a dry basement, it’s great alternative when an exterior system is not available.

If you live in Toronto or the surrounding GTA and have questions about installing an interior weeping tile system, you can contact Nusite waterproofing today.  We offer a free in-home estimate and inspection of your basement and will work with you to choose the best waterproofing solution for your home and your budget.