Category Archive: Flooding

You love your home, and you want to stay in your current location. So what do you do when rising river levels put your home in jeopardy? Homeowners living along some stretches of the Chesapeake and Mississippi rivers are asking themselves this question. For some, the best solution is to mitigate flood damage by elevating their homes.

Elevating your home is not a cheap or easy solution. But in some cases, it costs less than tearing down and building elsewhere. Although elevating your home can seem a little scary – there’s nothing like seeing your beloved home suspended on stilts – elevation techniques are proven, and there are many qualified contractors. An elevated home may also qualify for reduced flood insurance premiums. In some cases, financial assistance may be available to flood insurance policyholders. You can see how one family went through the home elevation process in this FEMA video.

An important part of home elevation is to install openings in the foundation – so flood waters can flow underneath the home. After all, there’s no point in raising a home if rising waters will cause structural damage to the foundation. One of the easiest ways to let water flow in and out is flood vents.

Flood Solutions has several FEMA compliant flood vent models to choose from. Constructed of heavy-duty aluminum, our flood vents are perfect for installation into existing openings. Contact Flood Solutions to learn more about our complete line of FEMA compliant flood vents.

Unfortunately, it’s not unusual for pets to get left behind during natural disasters. According to some reports, 1000 pets were euthanized in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

With hurricane season approaching, FEMA is reminding people to include their pets in their hurricane evacuation plans. Here is Rich Serino, FEMA’s deputy administrator, on the subject:

There are many steps you can take to keep your pets safe, even in the face of flooding. Here are just a few:

• Plan to take your pets with you. They may not survive at home, even with food and water.
• Keep your pets’ vaccinations up-to-date. Most shelters won’t take pets without proof of current vaccinations.
• Prepare an emergency bag of food, water, and medications. Include a leash and vaccination papers.
• Have a portable carrier ready.
• Plan in advance where you will go. If you can’t keep your pets with you, consider boarding them at a pet shelter, veterinary clinic or friend’s home located outside the flood zone.
• Make sure your pet is clearly identified either on their collar or, even better, with a microchip.

After you and your pet return home, it will take time for your pet to adjust. Keep your pet on a leash while you monitor their behavior. Changes in scents can disorientate pets and lead to them getting lost. Be aware of new hazards, such as debris and water-born reptiles.

Check out the Louisiana SPCA’s disaster preparedness tips for more information.

Minimize damage to your and your pet’s home by installing our FEMA compliant flood vents. Contact Flood Solutions to learn more.

So flood waters have receded and, thanks to your Flood Solutions flood vents, your home is structurally sound. The next step is to dry out your home to prevent growth of mold or mildew. This needs to be done as quickly as possible, as residents of Hamptons Roads, Virginia found out during recent flooding.

Mold and mildew can have serious health consequences. Mold can lead to infections, difficulty breathing, skin reactions and long-term health problems. Mold and mildew consist of microscopic organisms that thrive in moist, wet areas. You can’t always detect them, but they often discolor walls or ceilings and have a musty or foul odor.

Mold and mildew can start to grow as quickly as 24 hours after water exposure. The faster you act, the better your chances of reducing mold damage. Start by removing anything porous from your home, such as carpets or insulation.  Use a bleach-water solution to wash non-porous items, such as floors, concrete walls, countertops, and glass. When using the bleach mixture, open windows and doors to increase airflow and ventilation and wear protective gloves and eye gear. Fans and dehumidifiers can also help remove excess moisture, but don’t turn on your HVAC system until its been inspected and cleaned. A mold-infested HVAC system can quickly spread mold throughout your home. Unfortunately, drying your home is not a quick process – it can take days or even weeks.

Depending on the extent of the water damage, you might want to consider hiring a professional cleaning and drying company to restore your home. They’ll make sure the job is done properly and document damages and restoration for insurance purposes.

It’s always a good idea to minimize damage to your home through good flood preparation. Install FEMA compliant flood vents, use mold-mildew resistant building materials, and don’t install carpets or other porous materials in your basement. Contact Flood Solutions to learn more.

FEMA regularly updates flood maps as they gather new data and complete flood mitigation projects. This means you might find your home included in a flood hazard area. This happened recently in Scottsdale, Arizona when FEMA updated their flood maps for that region.

If FEMA flood map revisions put your home in a flood hazard area, FEMA will notify you six months before the change is made official. If you find yourself with a FEAM notification in your mailbox, here are some tips on what you can do:

1. Talk to your insurance agent. If you hold a federally backed mortgage, you’ll be required to purchase flood insurance (if you don’t have some already).  Talk to your insurance agent to make sure you get the right coverage. Even if you’re not required to purchase flood insurance (maybe you don’t have a mortgage, or maybe your mortgage is not federally backed) you should still think about getting insurance. It’s an important way to recover losses should a flood occur.
2. Contact your community flood plain administrator. If your community disagrees with the flood map changes, they can decide to appeal the change. If your community doesn’t plan to appeal, but you disagree with the revised flood maps, you can appeal as an individual. You’ll need to have solid data to support your appeal.
3. Take steps to prepare for a flood. If your home is at greater risk of flooding, you’ll want to prepare. You can minimize flood damage to your home by elevating your furnace and hot water heater, installing values in sewer traps to prevent flood water from backing up into your home, and installing flood vents to minimize pressure damage to your foundation.

Check the FEMA website for more information on flood preparation and flood map changes.

Flood Solutions carries a variety of flood vent sizes and models for installation into existing concrete foundations (and other foundation materials) and for new construction. Contact us to learn more.

FEMA, the federal agency charged with helping communities nationwide prepare, respond, and recover from natural and manmade disasters, recently re-launched its Ready.gov website.

Craig Fugate, administrator of FEMA describes the changes:

The new website provides valuable information on disaster planning. Learn what to do before, during, and after an emergency, get guidelines for making a disaster plan, and learn how to build your own disaster kits. It also has information on preparing as a community and as a business. It even has games for kids!

The site can be accessed via your computer, tablet or mobile device. (There’s even a mobile version of the website at http://m.fema.gov.)

In addition, FEMA also recently released an app for Apple or Android Smartphones. The app provides preparedness information for different types of disasters and even a map with FEMA Disaster Recovery Center locations. You won’t want to rely on this app in the middle of a disaster (when communications may be down), but it can be a useful preparation tool.

When you’re taking steps to minimize flood damage, don’t forget to consider installing flood vents. Flood Solutions has FEMA compliant flood vent models. Contact us to learn more!

When flooding is imminent, it’s too late to take steps to significantly reduce property damage. As residents of New York State’s Southern Tier found out during recent flooding, it pays to prepare for flooding well before it occurs. By taking a few precautionary steps, you can not only minimize damage to your home but also reduce after-flood repair costs.

Flood vents are one of the most effective ways to protect your home during flooding. Installed in the foundation of your home, flood vents allow free flow of water in and out of buildings. Protecting your home by letting water in (as opposed to keeping it out) might surprise you, but unequal water pressure from inside or outside your home can lead to structural damage and even building collapse. Mopping up a wet basement will cost less than repairing your foundation or replacing your home.

You can minimize damage to the contents of your house by putting as little in your basement as possible. Elevate your furnace, hot water heater and electrical panel and move anything expensive or valuable to higher floors. When you remodel or repair your home, use mold resistant drywall and insulation. For more flood mitigation tips, see FEMA’s list of flood preparation steps.

Don’t wait until flood waters threaten before taking action to protect your home and reduce repair costs. Contact Flood Solutions while your basement is still dry.

Damage to property and possessions from flooding can cost you thousands (and thousands) of dollars. For a rough estimate, check out FEMA’s Flood Smart cost of flooding tool.

Fortunately, you can help protect against financial loss from flooding with good insurance coverage. But not all insurance coverage is alike, so you’ll want to understand the fine print. Here are a few questions to ask your flood insurance provider:

What’s covered and what’s not?

Most policies cover building property and personal contents, but most don’t cover property outside of the insured building. These means you’ll need separate coverage for your deck, barbeque, swimming pool or car. In addition, most policies don’t cover living expenses should you evacuate.

How much coverage do I need?

People tend to underestimate the value of their possessions. You’ll want enough coverage to mitigate your losses. It’s worth taking a careful tally of what you own.

Also, some policies provide replacement cost value while others provide actual cash value for damage items. Make sure you (and your insurance agent) understand the difference.

Do I live in a flood zone? What’s the flood risk?

You can use FEMA’s Map Service Center for preliminary research on your flood risk. Keep in mind, however, flooding doesn’t just occur from tropical storms or heavy rain. Your basement can just as easily flood from snow melt or the construction site next door.

Who do I call?

Make sure you know who to call to make your insurance claim. It will be much harder to track down contacts or information in the midst of a disaster.

How can I lower my premiums?

Some insurance providers charge lower premiums to homeowners who take steps to mitigate flood damage. For example, by installing flood vents from Flood Solutions, you may be eligible for reduced insurance premiums.

Check out FEMA’s Flood Smart website for a complete list of questions to ask your insurance agent. Contact Flood Solutions for more information about how flood vents can lower your insurance costs.