Know the Difference…

Basement or Elevated

This session is for education purposes only – NO Continuing Education credits will be provided

October, 2013

Please note: These materials may become dated as NFIP rules and regulations change

Objectives

After completion of this module, user will be able to:

Define a basement

Distinguish when a structure is elevated • Is there an enclosure below the elevated floor?

• If so, does the enclosure meet NFIP guidelines?

Determine which floor of the structure is used for rating purposes

Understand coverage limitations within a basement or an enclosure and when these coverage limitations apply

Basements and Sub-Grade Crawlspaces

Definition of a Basement Basement floor is partially or completely below

ground level on all four (4) sides more than 2 feet, or

Floor of the basement is below ground level within 2 feet of the LAG (Lowest Adjacent Grade) AND distance to the next higher floor is more than 5 feet

Definition of a Sub-Grade Crawlspace Crawlspace floor within 2 feet of the LAG (Lowest

Adjacent Grade)

Distance between the crawlspace floor and the next higher floor is within 5 feet

Diagram #9

Rated as “With Basement” rates

Sub-Grade Crawlspace vs Basement

No more than 2 feet below grade

No more than 5 feet below the next higher floor More than 2 feet below grade

More than 5 feet below the next higher floor

What is considered a basement?

Diagram 2 shows a basement building

C2a

Diagram #9 – Sub Grade Crawlspace

All buildings (other than split-level) elevated on a subgrade crawlspace, with or without attached garage

Why is the distinction important?

It is important to identify sub-grade crawlspace vs. basement

Both foundations identify buildings with lowest floors that are below

ground level - if the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) is higher than the

crawlspace floor (C2a) (elevation difference must be -1 or lower) less

expensive rates could be given if the policy is rated as a Submit-For-

Rate

Basement or Sub-grade Crawl?

100.3 – 102.9 = -2.5 (More than 2 ft below the

Lowest Adjacent Grade = Basement)

C2.f = 102.9 (LAG)

C2.a = 100.3 (Top of bottom floor)

**Sub-grade floor is ALWAYS the lowest floor for rating (LFE)**

Basement Coverage Limitations – Applies to ALL Buildings in ALL zones

Central air conditioners

Cisterns and the water in them

Drywall for walls and ceilings in a basement and the cost of labor to nail it, unfinished and unfloated and not taped, to the framing

Electrical junction and circuit breaker boxes

Electrical outlets and switches

Elevators, dumbwaiters, and related equipment, except for related equipment installed below the base flood elevation after September 30, 1987

Fuel tank and the fuel in them

Furnaces and hot water heaters

Heat pumps

Nonflammable insulation in a basement

Pumps and tanks used in solar energy systems

Stairways and staircases attached to the building not separated from it by elevated walkways

Sump pumps

Water softeners and the chemicals in them, water filters and faucets installed as an integral part of the plumbing system

Well water tanks and pumps

Required utility connections for any item in this list (electric, gas, sewer and water are he only NFIP required utilities)

Footings, foundations, posts, pilings, piers, or other foundation walls and anchorage systems required to support a building

Cleanup

Air conditioning units, portable or window type (under contents coverage only)

Clothes washers and dryers (under contents coverage only)

Food Freezers, other than walk-in and food in any freezer (under contents coverage only)

Element Not Covered

Content Items not Specifically Listed

Improvements such as Finished Walls, Floors, and Ceilings

Building Equipment and Fixtures not specifically Covered

What is an Elevated Building?

A building that has no basement and has its lowest elevated floor raised above ground level by means of foundation walls, shear walls, piers, posts, pilings or columns Shear walls are used for structural support, but are not structurally joined or

enclosed at the ends (except by breakaway walls); Shear walls are parallel (or nearly parallel) to the flow of the water and can be used in any zone

Solid perimeter foundation walls are used as a means of elevating the building in A Zones and must contain proper openings to allow for the unimpeded flow of floodwaters more than 1 foot deep; Solid perimeter foundation walls are not an acceptable means of elevating buildings in V/VE Zones

May or may not have an enclosure below the lowest elevated floor

Elevated No Enclosure

Elevated with no Enclosure – Diagram #5

Pilings

C2a

Elevated Without Enclosure

C2.a = 16.7 (Top of Bottom Floor)

BFE = 8.0

Mobile Homes

To be insurable, a mobile home cannot be supported

by wheels and/or axles

Mobile homes are considered elevated buildings when the

lowest living floor is elevated off the ground

Diagram 5

Diagram 8

Normal vinyl or metal skirting is not considered an obstruction to the flow of water and is therefore considered a diagram #5 – elevated with no enclosure

Other types of skirting (block/brick, etc) or enclosure material are considered obstructions and are therefore considered elevated with enclosure and fall into the diagram #8 category

Enclosure versus No Enclosure

What happens if diagram 5 building, Elevated No Enclosure, is improved or altered adding an enclosure below the lowest elevated floor?

Elevation Certificate, if applicable, should be updated to reflect the new enclosure

Verification enclosure has been built in compliance with NFIP guidelines

Policy re-underwritten / re-rated accordingly

If loss occurs, loss adjustment will depend on whether policy accurately reflects the enclosure and whether policy was underwritten / rated correctly • If not, policy adjustment will ensue prior to loss adjustment

Elevated Buildings – Partial Enclosures

Elevated with Partial Enclosure – Diagram #6 Constructed on pilings,

posts, piers, columns or parallel shear walls with lowest floor at or above Base Flood Elevation (BFE) • No basement or crawlspace • Adequately anchored to

foundation support system

Where is the lowest floor for rating? Vents? Usage?

Is enclosure adequately vented?

Venting Guidelines – A Zones Only

To be in compliance with NFIP guidelines, enclosures are to be adequately vented or have compliant flood openings

Guidelines for compliant vents/openings: Minimum 2 vents in the enclosure

Placed in/on different walls

1 square inch of venting, per square foot of enclosure space

Vents/openings are to be no more than one (1) foot off the ground

These guidelines can be found in the Elevation Certificate as well as the Agent’s Lowest Floor Guide

Elevated with Enclosure

C2a = 6.0 (Top of Bottom Floor)

BFE = 8.0

Enclosure Size = 240 Square Feet Number of Vents 1’ foot above the Lowest Adjacent Grade = 4 Total Square Inches of Vents = 272 Is the Enclosure compliant with NFIP Guidelines? What is the Elevation used for rating?

C2b = 16.7

Elevated Buildings - Walkouts

Another type of elevated building is

one that is raised on solid foundation

perimeter walls with a walk out at

grade / ground level. Diagram 7 shows

this type of elevated building.

C2a Top of Bottom Floor

C2b Next Higher Floor Vents?

Elevated Buildings - Crawlspace

An under-floor space that has its interior floor area (finished or not) no more than 5 feet below the top of the next-higher floor

Crawlspaces generally have solid perimeter foundation walls

Diagram 8

Is the enclosure Compliant?

C2b = 12.6 (Top of next higher floor)

BFE = 8.0

Enclosure Size = 720 Square Feet Number of Vents within 1’ foot of the Lowest Adjacent Grade = 12 Total Square Inches of Vents = 725

C2a = 9.0 (Top of bottom floor)

What is a V Zone?

An area that is inundated by tidal floods with high velocity water (coastal high hazard area)

A V zone is an area that will support a 3 ft breaking wave (or higher)

Structures should be elevated with the lowest living floor elevated above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) with no enclosure and built to sustain wave action

An area inundated by 1% chance annual flooding

with velocity hazard (wave action)

Elevated Without Obstruction – V Zones

Area below the elevated floor is open

Insect screening, wooden or plastic lattice, slats or shutters are

permissible, if at least 40% of their area is open

Enclosures containing one solid breakaway wall and the remaining walls constructed of insect screening, lattice, slats or shutters

Any Machinery and/or Equipment must be elevated to at least the

BFE

Rate Table 3E

Lowest Floor for rating is the Bottom of the Lowest Horizontal Structure C2c from the EC

C2c

Elevated with Obstruction – V Zones

Buildings are rated with Obstruction if any of the following conditions are met:

Area below the elevated floor is enclosed fully by solid, breakaway walls

Enclosed by a combination of two or more solid, breakaway walls with insect screening, lattice or slats

Machinery and/or Equipment is below the BFE

Rate Table 3F

C2c

C2a

Lowest floor for rating is the lowest horizontal structural member (C2c), OR bottom of the slab (C2a)

Enclosure Compliance Guidelines – V Zones

299 square feet or less in size

Constructed of Breakaway Walls

Space used for Parking, Storage or Building Access only

Machinery and/or Equipment must be elevated to at least the Base Flood Elevation (BFE)

Unfinished Space

Drywall used for fire protection is permitted

Drywall mudded & taped is still unfinished as long as it’s not painted

C2c

bottom of the beam

C2a Top of Bottom Floor

What Makes an Enclosure Finished?

Enclosure has more than 20 linear feet of finished walls Painted Surfaces

Paneling

Wallpaper

Drywall that has been primed and/or painted

Used for any purpose other than vehicle parking, storage or building access

Elevated Building Coverage Limitations – within the Enclosure – Applies to Buildings in Zones A & V, Post-FIRM

Central air conditioners

Cisterns and the water in them

Drywall for walls and ceilings in a basement and the cost of labor to nail it, unfinished and unfloated and not taped, to the framing

Electrical junction and circuit breaker boxes

Electrical outlets and switches

Elevators, dumbwaiters, and related equipment, except for related equipment installed below the base flood elevation after September 30, 1987

Fuel tank and the fuel in them

Furnaces and hot water heaters

Heat pumps

Nonflammable insulation in a basement

Pumps and tanks used in solar energy systems

Stairways and staircases attached to the building not separated from it by elevated walkways

Sump pumps

Water softeners and the chemicals in them, water filters and faucets installed as an integral part of the plumbing system

Well water tanks and pumps

Required utility connections for any item in this list (electric, gas, sewer and water are he only NFIP required utilities)

Footings, foundations, posts, pilings, piers, or other foundation walls and anchorage systems required to support a building

Cleanup

Air conditioning units, portable or window type (under contents coverage only)

Clothes washers and dryers (under contents coverage only)

Food Freezers, other than walk-in and food in any freezer (under contents coverage only)

Element Not Covered

Content Items not Specifically Listed

Improvements such as Finished Walls, Floors, and Ceilings

Building Equipment and Fixtures not specifically Covered

National Flood Services Inc PO Box 2057 Kalispell, MT 59903-2057 800.637.3846

WYO Company NFIP / FEMA sites www.nfipiservice.com www.fema.gov/nfip www.floodsmart.gov www.agents.floodsmart.gov

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