jar546
Forum Coordinator
These are for a garage that has a floor slightly below the BFE. Thoughts? These are the only vents installed on one side.
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Flood Vents
- Thread starter jar546
- Start date
north star
Sawhorse
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2009
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- 4,596
# = # = #
Aren't the flood vents required to be installed equal
distance apart, around the perimeter of the foundation
wall ?
# = # = #
Aren't the flood vents required to be installed equal
distance apart, around the perimeter of the foundation
wall ?
# = # = #
Paul Sweet
Sawhorse
FEMA NFIP Technical Bulletin 1 requires at least 2 vents on 2 different walls.
jar546
Forum Coordinator
Which is why I am posing this question.
If the local code requirement is that the finished floor have 1' of freeboard and the garage floor is at and mostly above BFE, would it even require a flood vent anyway for a slab on grade?
Paul Sweet
Sawhorse
Flood vents would be required if the garage floor is "slightly below the BFE" as stated in your original post.
Since the intent if flood vents is to equalize lateral forces from floodwater on both sides of a wall, and the bottom of flood vents can't be more than 12" above the floor, it would seem logical to allow them to be omitted if the floor is no more than 12" below flood elevation. However, I don't think FEMA gives any flexibility to their rules, so they could deny flood insurance if flood vents weren't provided.
Since the intent if flood vents is to equalize lateral forces from floodwater on both sides of a wall, and the bottom of flood vents can't be more than 12" above the floor, it would seem logical to allow them to be omitted if the floor is no more than 12" below flood elevation. However, I don't think FEMA gives any flexibility to their rules, so they could deny flood insurance if flood vents weren't provided.