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.
