Protecting Your Property from
Flooding ...
Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Equipment
Are You at Risk?
If you aren't sure whether your house is at risk
from flooding, check with your local floodplain manager, building
official, city engineer, or planning and zoning administrator. They can
tell you whether you are in a flood hazard area. Also, they usually can
tell you how to protect yourself and your house and property from
flooding.
What You Can Do
Flood protection can involve a variety of changes to
your house and property -- changes that can vary in complexity and cost.
You may be able to make some types of changes yourself. But complicated or
large-scale changes and those that affect the structure of your house or
its electrical wiring and plumbing should be carried out only by a
professional contractor licensed to work in your state, county, or city.
One example of flood protection is raising the heating, ventilating, and
cooling equipment in your house so that it is above the flood level, or
surrounding it with a flood wall. These are things that only a licensed
contractor should do.
Raise or Floodproof HVAC Equipment
 Heating,
ventilating, and cooling (HVAC) equipment, such as a furnace or hot water
heater, can be damaged extensively if it is inundated by flood waters. The
amount of damage will depend partly on the depth of flooding and the
amount of time the equipment remains under water. Often, the damage is so
great that the only solution is replacement.
In floodprone houses, a good way to protect HVAC
equipment is to move it from the basement or lower level of the house to
an upper floor or even to the attic. A less desirable method is to leave
the equipment where it is and build a concrete or masonry block floodwall
around it. Both of these methods require the skills of a professional
contractor. Relocation can involve plumbing and electrical changes, and
floodwalls must be adequately designed and constructed so that they are
strong enough and high enough to provide the necessary level of
protection.
Tips
Keep these points in mind when you have your HVAC
equipment raised or floodproofed:
-
Changes to the plumbing, electrical system, and
ventilating ductwork in your house must be done by a licensed
contractor, who will ensure that the work is done correctly and
according to all applicable codes. This is important for your safety.
-
If you are having your existing furnace or hot
water heater repaired or replaced, consider having it relocated at the
same time. It will probably be cheaper to combine these projects than
to carry them out at different times.
-
Similarly, if you have decided to raise your
HVAC equipment, consider upgrading to a more energy-efficient unit at
the same time. Upgrading can not only save you money on your heating
and cooling bills, it may also make you eligible for a rebate from
your utility companies.
- I
f you decide to protect your HVAC equipment with
a floodwall, remember that you will need enough space in the enclosed
area for system repairs and routine maintenance. Also, depend-ing on
its height, the wall may have to be equipped with an opening that
provides access to the enclosed area. Any opening will have to be
equipped with a gate that can be closed to prevent flood waters from
entering.
Estimated Cost
Having your furnace and hot water heater moved to a
higher floor or to the attic will cost about $ 1,500. The cost of a
floodwall will depend partly on its height and length. A 3-foot-high wall
with a perimeter length of 35 feet would cost about $1,000.
Other Sources of Information
Protecting Your Home from Flooding, FEMA, 1994
Repairing Your Flooded Home, FEMA-234, 1992
Flood Emergency and Residential Repair Handbook,
FIA-13, 1986
Retrofitting Flood-Prone Residential Structures,
FEMA-114, 1986
Protecting
Building Utilities from Flood Damage, FEMA -348, 1999
To obtain copies of these and other FEMA documents,
call FEMA Publications at 1-800-480-2520. Information is also
available on the World Wide Web at http://www.fema.gov.
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Related Information
After A Flood-Reclaiming Heirlooms & Other Items From Flood Waters
Coping With A Flood Before, During & After
Fuel
Tanks
Sewer Backflow Valves
Flood Safety Tips
Preparing Your Home For A Hurricane
Areas
At Risk
To Contact Us
Parish
Office of Emergency Preparedness Phone Numbers
Federal
Emergency Management Agency
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