'It's going to be a different melt': Sask. warm temperatures spark melt concerns
With the warmer-than-usual temperatures this week, some are concerned the rapidly melting excess snow could cause property issues.
On a day with above-normal temperatures like Wednesday in Saskatoon, any snow accumulation will be melting fast, but how it melts and where it goes, is the mystery each spring.
“It all depends on how the melt happens and how it reacts to people’s homes,” business development manager with Saskatoon Fire and Flood Tiago Moreira told CTV News.
While it’s been a relatively gradual melt this year, the nature of the snow we’re dealing with right now could pose problems, according to Moreira, whose company specializes in extreme clean-up services.
“The snow right now is very crusty and very hard at the moment,” he said.
“So it’s going to be a different melt compared to last year’s melt which was very dry. There was no moisture left in the snow, but this year we have a lot of moisture left in the snow so every year it’s going to be a little different.”
To avoid basement water issues, it’s recommended to be proactive by moving snow away from your home and also keeping an eye on how the snow is melting. (Carla Shynkaruk/CTV News)
To avoid basement water issues, Moreira recommends actively moving snow away from your home, and also keeping an eye on how it's melting around you.
“Might be in areas, especially like back alleys, where water will find a path into open areas, and find the path of least resistance. Make sure water doesn't flow towards your house like little rivers," he said.
If you have a lot of snow around the base of your home around the foundation, moving it to the base of a tree is a good idea according to Moreira because it will get soaked up a lot quicker by the roots and also benefit the tree.
“It will melt quicker because the sun will get to it and the roots of the tree will get to it also,” he said.
While it’s been a relatively gradual melt this year, the nature of the snow we’re dealing with right now could pose problems. (Carla Shynkaruk/CTV News)
Ensuring that city drains are working properly is also important.
“If you are able and can visit the catch basin on the end of your street, make sure it’s functioning. If you are able you can chip away the ice,” said Mitch McMann, storm water utility manager with the City of Saskatoon.
If you notice a drain that isn’t operating correctly because of an ice clog, you can call the City of Saskatoon and they will send a crew to look at it.
The City of Saskatoon website also has tips on safeguarding your home, as it's the responsibility of the property owner to take precautions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Video shows suspect setting Toronto-area barbershop on fire
Video of a suspect lighting a Richmond Hill barbershop on fire earlier this week has been released by police.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Early results from London, U.K., suggest Labour's Sadiq Khan will secure a record third term as mayor
Sadiq Khan, the Labour Party's mayor of London, appeared Saturday to be romping to victory as results from the capital pour in.
'I have the will to live': N.B. woman needs double lung transplant
A New Brunswick woman suffering from sarcoidosis, a disease that limits your lung capacity, is in need of a double lung transplant.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.