Flooded basements plague Edmonton homeowners as wettest summer on record continues

Edmonton homeowners are on their fourth or fifth basement flood this summer as the region tracks toward the wettest summer on record, leaving many without insurance coverage and facing months of wait times for repairs.

First-time homeowner Sarah Dhanoo cleaned up her flooded basement for the fourth time this summer. Her insurance policy denies coverage for water seepage, and she's bracing for tens of thousands in out-of-pocket repairs.

"It's frustrating. It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort. It's exhausting," Dhanoo said.

Even homeowners with insurance are struggling to find contractors. Property owner Samuel Huberdeau called his insurance provider immediately after learning of his flood, only to find all major companies flat out. He had to reach out to a friend who could come the next day.

Melseth Contracting Inc. has gone from fielding five calls a month to 25 to 45. The project manager said the company received five calls in the first two hours of a recent morning.

Repairs are stretching into months. Edmonton's Telus World of Science closed until at least November due to extensive water damage. EPCOR says the system itself is being challenged by rainfall approaching 100-year levels, straining the capacity of the collection system.

"We're almost at a point of no return where every time it rains we expect water to come up," Huberdeau said. "All we can do is mitigate."

Dhanoo's advice for future homebuyers: understand what your insurance actually covers before signing the policy.