Guyan Flood Relief

Casey Yew asked:


The first thing that surprises many people about flood insurance is that everybody is actually considered to live in a flood zone according to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) - its simply a question of whether you are at low, moderate or high risk of flooding. Obviously some people, depending on where they live, are at greater risk than others.

And another surprise is that even people who live in areas not particularly prone to floods may be at risk from flooding - around 30% of claims for flood damage come from areas that are considered low to moderate risk. And during a 30 year mortgage, a typical home has about a 25% chance of being damaged by a flood.

Many homeowners are also surprised to learn that flood insurance is not included under their regular homeowner’s insurance policy or renter’s policy. And a surprising statistic is that in general, you are 30 times more likely to lose your home to a flood than a fire. Every year around $2.4 billion is paid out in insurance claims for flood damage or losses.

A flood can mean any kind of water damage or damage from mud, poor drainage or seepage. Much flooding is caused by winter storms, melting snow and hurricanes - things which many people tend to overlook. Just an inch of water can potentially cause costly property damage and a car can be swept away in just two feet of water.

Because most policies don’t cover flood damage, Congress established the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1968. This program allows people who may be at risk from flooding to purchase adequate insurance - even after the flood or water damage has occurred.

Several companies offer flood insurance - always make sure the company you choose is backed by the NFIP. This ensures you will be adequately protected in the case of flood damage. This is one type of insurance you shouldn’t take out at the last minute - one disadvantage with the program is that after you have taken out flood insurance, there is a 30 day waiting period before any coverage takes effect.

As with other products and services, always shop around when comparing policies. The internet has made it just as easy to compare prices on line as it is to call around the various companies. Around 5 million people in the United States have some form of flood insurance and the average monthly premium is around $350 per year.

Take into account the amount of coverage you will receive in the event of a flood, as well as the amount of the monthly premiums. Make sure that there are no exclusions to the policy that may affect you. And make sure your insurance company can easily be contacted if and when you need them.

Most flood insurance policies will cover the costs of replacing or repairing both property and goods in the event of any damage. Contents can include furniture, clothes, rugs and carpets and other possessions - even the food in your freezer.

Contents and buildings both generally have separate deductibles (the amount you must pay before the insurance covers the costs) - so if both your property and contents are damaged by flooding, you will have to pay both deductibles.

So even though you may not obviously live in a high risk flood area, consider taking out flood insurance. Like most insurance, you hope to never use it - but it’s comforting to know it is there.

water damage team asked:


Thinking all flood insurance is too expensive

Some flood insurance policies can cost less than $400 a year, less than car insurance. You can choose how much coverage you need, depending on how much of your home and items you want to protect. Also be sure to research any discounts you could get from having things like  a sump pump installed, or double-paned windows. These could lower your policy by large amounts!

Assuming you only need flood insurance if you live in a disaster-prone area

Floods don’t only happen after a hurricane though. In fact, 1 in 4 flood insurance claims take place in low or moderate risk areas.  Floods could happen in your home due to frozen pipes that burst, or a large water leak. Floods can also happen due to lake, creek or river overflow, or large amounts of rain and backed-up storm drains.

Not looking around enough

The flood insurance policy you choose should be the best possible policy for your situation. To achieve this, you should get as many possible quotes as you can and know as much as possible with each potential decision. Even better, take the time to ask friends and family in your area if they have flood insurance and what company they chose.

Assuming you will receive federal aid if a flood occurs

Federal aid is tricky and not so reliable. While their aid rarely comes anywhere close to full coverage, you may or may not even qualify for a small loan. On top of that, it’s very unlikely that you’ll receive any aid without the president himself declaring your area a disaster area. A perfect example of this is, of course, hurricane Katrina, and the many victims left without aid or a home in the after months.

Forgetting to ask important questions

Before you go signing any papers, you need to make a thorough (and long) list of any and all questions or concerns you have to ask each provider you’re considering. This list should include their policy on rate increases, their discount policy, and their types of coverage, among many others. Take the time to research questions and concerns about flood insurance online to be sure you’re asking everything you need to.

Waiting until it is too late

The worst possible flood insurance mistake you could make? Waiting until it is too late. While some insurance companies will still sell you a policy when your area is likely to be hit by a flood very soon or has already been hit, it would be a t a much higher rate. If you are definitely getting flood insurance, the sooner the better.

Assuming you are already covered if you have home owners insurance

While some companies offer a combined home and flood insurance policy, not all do. Also, those added *extras* are rarely any where near as much coverage as you would get from a separate flood insurance policy. If you do think you have flood insurance or are not sure, give your insurance company a call and simply ask. They should be able to provide you with all the details.

Believing you will not qualify if a home insurance company turned you down

Just because a different type of insurance turned you down for financial reasons or otherwise, does not mean all flood insurance providers will as well. If your community is in the national flood insurance program, there’s no way you will be turned down. You will never though until you ask though, so call them up now!

Scorn Agent asked:


Normal 0 July 15, 2008

Levees in the Natomas area of Sacramento, California do not meet new Federal Flood safety standards. A Federal requirement to carry Flood Insurance for all Natomas residences and businesses is officially taking effect December 8th of this year.

Currently Natomas property owners qualify for a Preferred Risk Policy (PRP)  because the Natomas area is in an X flood zone, which is one of the lower risk zones.Now that FEMA has announced that most of Natomas will become an AE zone this December, residential and commercial buildings will not qualify to purchase a PRP. This new zone means Flood Insurance premiums will increase substantially, at least doubling in most cases. You will also be required to show Proof of Flood insurance for federally backed loans and perhaps to private lenders. A flood insurance policy is paid for in one installment. Their are no payment plans, but you can pay by credit card.

Along with saving money now, when you purchase your policy before Natomas is re-zoned you will have the ability to ‘Grandfather’ your zone. Grandfathering gives a policyholder the ability to keep their zone year after year, even if the zone changes at a later date. It is important to plan ahead. Also, your policy will remain on your home or business as long as it does not lapse, so if you sell, the buyer has the incentive to buy your less expensive flood zone along with the property. Flood insurance can mean the difference between recovery and ruin for property owners and the community. A 30-day waiting period applies to most flood insurance policies, so purchase before the storms.

Also know that Flood Insurance rates are Federally set, so shopping for price is not worthwhile. Shop for an Agency with Flood Insurance experience. No Agency from any company can offer you discounts on your Flood Insurance, because it is a Federal program. You need a properly written policy in order to be protected when the flood waters come!

Call your trusted insurance professional, or if you need one, give us a call. We’re happy to answer any questions, and help you get answers.

 

Vikram kuamr asked:


If you have Washington DC metro area flood damage, you need to call out a company that specializes in water damage restoration services. A good Virginia water damage restoration company will be able to remove the Washington DC metro area flood damage and restore your property so that it looks like it did before it flooded. Water damage restoration is possible thanks to modern technology that not only rids your property from the flood waters, but also can restore it so that you do not have to worry about mold spores forming. 

 

Instead of having to tear everything out when you get Washington DC metro area flood damage, you can have it restored to its original condition when you call out a water damage restoration company. Years ago, if you had damaged carpeting or flooring due to flood damage, you had to tear it up and start again. This was very costly and is no longer necessary. 

 

Such is the case with VA carpet flood damage. If you have carpeting that has been flood damaged, you have choices. A good water restoration company in Virginia will be able to take care of the problem for you. They can access your VA carpet flood damage and give you an estimate on how they well fix the carpeting. This includes removing the water from the carpeting as well as the padding. You no longer have to tear up the carpeting and padding when you get VA carpet flood damage. You can hire a water damage restoration service that can use state of the art equipment to remove the water and bring he carpet back to where it was before the water damage. 

 

Nothing can be more harrowing than getting Washington DC metro area flood damage to your home or business. Often, you may be tempted to replace everything that has been touched by the water for fear of mold. It is right that you take mold into consideration, but with the new technology, this is not the only option. You can opt for a much more economical option such as DC flood water removal from a certified water damage restoration company. 

 

If you have VA carpet flood damage, do not think that you need to have all new carpeting. Very often, just one area of the carpeting is damaged.  When you hire a professional, such as a VA water damage restoration company, you can get the carpet repaired. 

 

In some cases, if you have flood insurance, water damage restoration can be covered by insurance.  In most cases, however, insurance does not cover floods. It can be very costly to repair VA carpet flood damage or Washington DC metro area flood damage to property if you are replacing everything.  You owe it to yourself to consider getting Virginia water damage restoration services to restore your property by removing flood waters and using cleaning equipment to remove every drop of water from the property, including the carpeting and padding. This will keep your property free from mold spores and odors, but will still end up being an economical solution to a flood. 

William Sykes asked:


Be A Lot Easier Than You Think

Would you like to understand the FEMA flood vent regulations that apply to your home? And reduce your flood insurance premiums by a sizable amount?

This document makes the regulations easy to understand, points out the benefits of installing flood vents, and will help you decide what kind of vents to install.

Properly positioned and installed flood vents in your home’s foundation walls will not only help you protect your investment, they can help you save money. And, despite what you may have heard, the regulations governing their type and placement are easy to understand.

These regulations were stipulated by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Requirements: the Basics

1 - Openings must be installed in foundation walls so that water can flow, unimpeded, in and out of the crawl space without damaging the walls’ integrity. The regulation is easy to remember: one square inch of opening in the foundation wall for every square foot of the area of your house. For example, a 2,000-square-foot crawl space would need 2,000 square inches of opening. The number of flood vents you need to install depends on the size and type of vent you buy. (More on that later.)

2 - Each enclosed area must have a minimum of two openings. If there are multiple enclosed areas within the foundation walls, each area must have at least two openings in its exterior walls.

3 - Flood vents must be below flood level to work. The bottom of each opening must be no more than 1 foot above whichever of these is higher: the interior or exterior grade immediately under the opening.

4 - Any screens, grates, grilles, fixed louvers, or other covers or devices you install must not block or hinder the automatic flow of floodwaters into and out of the enclosed area.

Why Are Flood Vents Required?

The purpose of flood vents (also called “flood gates” or “flood ports”) 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.

Why is that so important? In a flood situation, if the water pressure inside and outside your home can’t equalize rapidly enough, the windows and doors 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 openings survive a flood; homes without such vents collapse.

Who Needs Flood Vents?

According to its website, the NFIP “requires flood vents for residential basements, crawl spaces, garages, and other enclosed structures that are below the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) in Special Flood Hazard Areas.” BFE is the height of the base flood, usually in feet, in relation to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 or other datum as specified.

If your home isn’t mortgaged, you aren’t required by FEMA/NFIP regulations to have flood insurance or flood vents. However, flood insurance is advisable to protect your investment. And foundation flood vents are still a wise move to ensure that floodwaters do not structurally damage your home. How Cost Savings Add Up

Properly installed and situated flood vents can pay for themselves very quickly. They allow you to save in two ways. The annual reduction on your flood insurance premiums can be considerable. Secondly, should floodwaters rise to your home, flood vents can reduce the risk of structural damage, which can be very costly to repair.

Which Type of Flood Vent Should You Install?

There are two types of flood vents on the market: non-engineered and engineered. Engineered vents have been designed in such a way that they provide a more efficient flood relief system, and thus fewer vents will need to be installed.

The opening size of the non-engineered flood vent is calculated by multiplying the width times the height of the opening. The opening size of the engineered flood vent is calculated using a mathematical formula that takes into account certain coefficients, net area and opening shapes. This formula calculation must be certified by a professional engineer. The main difference between the two types of flood vents is that fewer of the engineered flood vents are required to meet NFIP requirements. For example, a non-engineered 8″ x 16″ vent is rated at 128 square inches while an engineered 8″ x 16″ is rated at 200 square inches.

Other design and performance criteria for engineered openings are specified by the American Society of Civil Engineers:

1 - Engineered openings are to perform such that the difference between the exterior and interior water levels shall not exceed 1 foot during base flood conditions.

2 - Engineered openings are to be not less than 3 inches in any direction in the plane of the wall. This requirement applies to the hole in the wall, excluding any screen, grate, grille, louvers, or devices that may be placed in or over the opening. The 3-inch opening requirement applies to the hole in the wall; not the space between the grates, grilles or louvers.

In a Nutshell: Numbers to Remember

FEMA’s flood insurance requirements boil down to this:

1 - One square inch of opening in a foundation wall per square foot of house.

2 - Vents must be less than 12 inches above the ground.

3 - Two vents per enclosed area, on different exterior walls.

That’s it. Make sure you have the appropriate flood vents installed — or do it yourself — then call your flood insurance company to get a reduction in your premiums. You’ll also enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that you’re not only compliant, you’re safer.

Martin Van Nostrand asked:


What is a Flood?

Here’s how “flood” is defined by the National Flood Insurance Program: “A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties (at least one of which is the policyholder’s property) from: Overflow of inland or tidal waters; or unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source; or mudflow; or collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or similar body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels that result in a flood as defined above.”

So, in plain English, a flood is an excess of water (or mud) on land that’s normally dry. Floods often happen when bodies of water overflow or tides rise due to heavy rainfall or thawing snow. But you don’t have to live near water to be at risk of flooding. A flash flood, which can strike anywhere without warning, occurs when a large volume of rain falls within a short time.

More and more buildings, roads and parking lots are being built where forests and meadows used to be, which decreases the land’s natural ability to absorb water. Coupled with changing weather patterns, this construction has made recent floods more severe and increased everyone’s chance of being flooded.

Dangerous or damaging floods don’t always mean dramatic, rushing waters through the streets of your hometown. Just a single inch of water can cause costly damage to your home! Keep this in mind when you’re considering flood insurance.

Hoping that you’ll receive Federal disaster relief if a flood hits

Many people wrongly believe that the U.S. government will take care of all their financial needs if they suffer damage due to flooding. The truth is that Federal disaster assistance is only available if the President formally declares a disaster. Even if you do get disaster assistance, it’s often a loan you have to repay, with interest, in addition to your mortgage loan that you still owe on the damaged property.

Most importantly, you must consider the fact that if your home is flooded and disaster assistance isn’t offered, you’ll have to shoulder the massive damage costs alone.

The bottom line? If you’re looking for secure protection from financial loss due to flood damage, Federal disaster assistance is not the answer.

Did You Know?



Floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states

Everyone lives in a flood zone

Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage

If you live in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) or high risk area, your mortgage lender requires you to have flood insurance

Just an inch of water can cause costly damage to your property

Flash floods often bring walls of water 10 to 20 feet high

A car can easily be carried away by just two feet of floodwater

Hurricanes, winter storms and snow melt are common (but often overlooked) causes of flooding

New land development can increase flood risk, especially if the construction changes natural runoff paths

Federal disaster assistance is usually a loan that must be paid back with interest. For a $50,000 loan at 4% interest, your monthly payment would be around $240 a month ($2,880 a year) for 30 years. Compare that to a $100,000 flood insurance premium, which is about $400 a year ($33 a month)



Why Do I Need Flood Insurance?

Flooding is nature’s most common natural disaster. The average homeowner is five times more likely to incure flood damage than fire damage. The chances only increase if you live in medium or high risk zones. Homeowner’s policies may not cover the flood damage, and the out-of-pocket costs can be burdensome.

Luana Pershing asked:


Outstanding floods are triggered by a natural disaster such as heavy rain fall. At times the rain fall is compounded with very great windy conditions. When nature creates these conditions next to a body of water like a stream, the sea, or a lake there exists the odds of a disaster. The water increases and pours out of the banks close to it and a flood results. The flooding may become strong waters that kill everything comes across. The flood waters combine with all the stuff it encounters making the water particularly harmful.

Have you ever paid attention to what sort of things end up mixed in with flood water? There are so many dirty and harmful substances that make up flood water that the {thought of it will make you want to run off shouting all the way. As often as it may be preferred not to be aware of what you are handling in the flood water, it is crucial that you do know so each precaution can be taken to hold your household and yourself protected. Flood damage can create disease or even loss of life if a person does not take the proper safety measures to be protected when they have no choice but to deal with dirty flood damage.

Flood water would have merged with animal like waste, garbage, and a human being’s waste from sewer systems and blocked septic tanks. This natural waste matter will spread harmful microorganisms, viruses, and parasites. When an individual comes into contact with these hazards they can turn out to be} very sick. These illnesses are so major that it is conceivable that a an individual could pass on.

More sorts of dangerous waste could also mix into the rampant flood waters. Pesticides, bio-hazardous waste from hospitals, lethal chemicals, and possibly nuclear stuff may end up in the water. These chemicals in the flood water could poison somebody who communicates with it, whether it is consumed or absorbed by way of the skin. It is imperative that everybody who has to touch flood water takes every step to continue to be safe and sound.

Prior to you going near the polluted flood water be sure that you have a current tetanus shot. If you are not sure when you had one, get a shot before you try to deal with any flood damage clean-up. Dressing in the right protective gear is important if you will come into contact with dirty flood water. Wear waterproof coverings, airtight goggles, rubber boots and hand wear, and a great quality respirator kind of mask if you do have to be near the water. Be certain that that the water you are drinking comes from a protected source, if at all possible bottled water for the first weeks after the flood has happened.

Cleanse your hands many times with foamy water after touching items} that have been in flood water. Get into a bath in fresh water as quickly as you’re able to after being in contact with the flood water. Clean all clothing you were wearing when you had contact with the soiled water before it is worn again. Taking every step conceivable as you are handling flood water might seem neurotic yet is essential to protect your welfare and wellbeing in this instance, as your existence can depend on the decisions you make.