Lessons from Hurricane Irene…

How Flood Vents Could Have Protected Your Property from Structural Damage

Although Hurricane Irene’s winds and storm surge fell short of the doomsday predictions, it did a lot of damage to states up and down the Eastern seaboard, from the Carolinas to Maine. Even in landlocked areas like Vermont, torrential rains turned tranquil streams into raging rivers that damaged homes and businesses. High winds and tides flooded many other areas. In fact, Irene may go down as one of the costliest Category 1 hurricanes in U.S. history.

Many homeowners and business owners sustained tremendous damage due to flood waters and storm surge. Those who had installed flood vents were certainly at an advantage.

Reducing the Potential Impact of a Flood

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cites flood vents as one of their “best practice” recommendations for reducing structural damage due to flooding. The purpose of flood vents (also called “flood gates”) is to reduce structural damage from flooding.

These permanent openings accomplish this objective by allowing water to pass into or out of a building’s exterior foundation walls. In a flood situation, if the water pressure inside and outside your home can’t equalize rapidly enough, the foundation walls could blow out. In addition, this pressure can compromise the foundation and make your home unsafe to live in. Studies have shown that houses with proper flood vent openings survive a flood; homes without such openings collapse.  Read more at flood vents.

 

PrintShare

What is a watershed?

What is a watershed?  The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) defines a watershed as an area that drains into a lake, stream or other body of water.  Other names for a watershed are basin or catchment area.  Watersheds vary in size and larger ones can be divided into sub-watersheds.  Watersheds can contain channels that carry water through and out of a watershed.  When channels receive too much water the excess water flows over its banks of the channels and into adjacent floodplains which causes flooding.  Flooding that occurs along a channel is called riverine flooding.  For more information about the NFIP and floods go to www.crawlspacedoors.com

PrintShare

Why do I need crawlspace ventilation?

Why do I need crawlspace ventilation?  The main source of crawl space moisture is caused by ground evaporation and ventilation allows for dissipation of this evaporation.  Proper ventilation exhaust moisture from the crawlspace and replaces it with fresh drier air.  According to the EPA the way to control mold is to control moisture.  Ventilation allows for effective moisture control.  Ventilation also helps to remove odors and radon from the crawlspace. For more information about the crawlspaces and ventilation go to www.crawlspacedoors.com

PrintShare

What is a flood and a floodplain?

What is a flood and a floodplain?  The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) defines a flood as a general and temporary condition of partial or complete covering of two or more acres of normally dry land area from overflow of inland or tidal waters, from unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source, or from mudflow.  NFIP defines a floodplain as any land area susceptible to being covered by floodwaters from any source.  Therefore, everyone in the United States lives in a floodplain.  Floods can be caused by heavy rains, mudflows, tidal waters, tropical storms, fires that remove many acres of timber, and new development that alters natural drainage.  Floods are very dangerous just two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles, even SUV’s and pick-up trucks.  For more information about the NFIP and floods go to www.crawlspacedoors.com

PrintShare