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Flood Vent Facts

What is a Flood Vent?

Smart Vent’s line of ICC-ES Certified, Engineered Flood Vents protect houses and buildings during floods by preventing hydrostatic pressure buildup that can destroy walls and foundations. This mitigation technique, referred to as Wet Floodproofing, allows floodwater to freely flow through an enclosure such as a crawlspace or garage.

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How do Flood Vents Work?
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Flood Vents protect houses and buildings during floods by preventing hydrostatic pressure buildup that can destroy walls and foundations. This mitigation technique, referred to as Wet Floodproofing, allows floodwater to freely flow through an enclosure such as a crawlspace or garage.

Types of Flood Vents
ENGINEERED
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  • Mass-produced flood openings are certified through the ICC-ES

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  • Meet the required regulations, performance standards, and design guidelines

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  • Designed and tested as flood vents and are given a flood coverage rating based on performance

NON-ENGINEERED
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  • Not created to be used as flood vents

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  • Have not gone through any of the required testing to qualify as an engineered flood vent

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  • Solely intended for use as an air vent

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  • Rated at the assumptive method of 1 net sq. in. of opening per 1 ft. of enclosed area

When Are Flood Vents Required?

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Regulations and Building Codes require:

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  • Residential structures in Flood Zone A have their lowest finished floor above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE)

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  • Any enclosure (i.e. crawlspace or garage) below the BFE ​to have flood vents to relieve hydrostatic pressure off the wall.

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  • Unlike residential buildings, commercial structures have the option to wet floodproof, dry floodproof, or a combination of both

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  • With commercial buildings, elevation and the use of wet floodproofing techniques is the suggested form of mitigation. This technique can be a more cost-effective solution, and reduces the impacts the building has on surrounding floodplain in comparison to dry floodproofing techniques.

What are the Installation Requirements?
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The bottom of each flood vent shall be no higher than 1 ft. above the highest interior or exterior adjacent grade.

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There must be at least 2 openings on 2 different walls per each enclosed area below the BFE.

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