CAN I FLOOD PROOF MY HOUSE?

FEMA currently does not allow residential structures to be dry flood-proofed. This is mainly a safety issue, for if your residence is “dry flood-proofed” it may lead people to believe that it is safe to stay in their homes during flooding. This attitude would be considered highly dangerous and would put the residents at great risk.

If you do live in a floodplain area there are many organizations, and governmental agencies that can help. It is best to start by contacting your local government agency or building department, they will be able to help with all the specific information you will need as to what flood zone you are in, what is the Base Flood Elevation, and all pertinent local, state, and federal codes.

FEMA will provide you, free of charge, with two very helpful publications.

1. The Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting FEMA 312/ June 1998: This publication is written in a language the average homeowner can understand. It has worksheet to help you decide what is best and help to give you approximate cost of changes.

2. Engineering Principles and Practice of Retrofitting Flood-Prone Residential Structures FEMA 259 2nd Addition/ June 2001: This publication is for design professionals and would be very hard for they average homeowner to follow. If you are considering retrofitting your residence, it might be good to make sure that your architect, engineer, and builder has and understands this very large document. (Or just has it)

These publications can be ordered over the phone by calling FEMA Technical Bulletins at 1 (800) 480-2520. Again, there is no cost for these publications and it takes approximately 2 weeks to receive them.

FEMA may also have a program that you could be eligible to obtain. It never hurts to give your local FEMA agency a call. Every dealing our company has had with a FEMA representative has always been a positive one, and they always seem truly eager to help.

Flood Guards may be an option for your home. Flood Guards were designed to protect belongings, not people. If flooding is imminent, you must evacuate the area.