Smart Vent Flood Vents
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Smart Vents Flood Vents
Living in a flood zone puts your home at serious risk of having flood damage, including structural damage, when severe storms occur. Whether you’re having new construction done or making sure your existing home is protected, having Smart Vent flood vents installed is a smart choice. These vents provide homes with protection from structural damage due to floodwater and increased water pressure. Smart Vents brand bring your construction into full flood zone compliance. You can ask how this may dramatically reduce Flood Insurance Premiums. Smart Vents are simple to install or retrofit into new or existing structures. Smart Vents all Stainless Steel construction ensure that they meet or exceed flood and corrosion resistance code requirements. Bradley Building Products is a National supplier with one the largest in stock inventory of the Smart Vent flood protection products. Bradley Building Products offers volume discounts starting with the purchase of 3 vents and free standard shipping on all orders. These flood vents are designed to be compliant with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and all National and State Construction Codes. Smart Vents provide the following benefits:
- Made of flood resistant 316L Marine Grade Stainless Steel.
- Allow for the automatic entry and exit of flood waters.
- Require no human interaction, they are automatic.
- Allow debris to pass through without becoming clogged in a screen or grill.
- Rodent resistant.
- 15 Year Warranty
Find out more about how these Smart Vents can keep your home safe all year round.
What Are Smart Vent Flood Vents?
Flood vents are stainless steel, powder coat vents that are installed in crawl space areas, below garage door areas, and in other areas where flood water might get in. Smart Vent flood vents are ICC-ES Certified, Engineered Flood Vents that are designed to protect your home’s foundation walls from damage when flooding occurs. This type of wet floodproofing approach stops water pressure from building up inside your home during flooding, which can lead to severe structural damage. As part of floodplain management and flood protection, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has certain building code requirements for these vents. Homes in Flood Zone A are required to have the lowest finished floor above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). Any enclosed area below this BFE needs to have flood vents for a house installed to ease hydrostatic pressure from the wall. The Smart Vent flood vents for houses are made to be compliant with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and NFIP, as well as National and State Construction Codes. Having these FEMA flood vents installed in crawl space and basement walls, a garage wall or an overhead garage door, or enclosed walls in breakaway foundations, reduces the risk of structural damage during flooding.
What Does a Smart Vent Flood Vent Do?
A flood vent is designed to allow floodwater to enter and exit enclosures in order to relieve water pressure from the wall. Instead of having hydrostatic pressure build up on foundation walls as flooding occurs, some of this water is able to flow through flood vents. This significantly lowers pressure on your foundation walls, protecting them from becoming damaged. These flood openings from Smart Vent are made from 316L marine grade, powder coat stainless steel. Their design allows for the entry and exit of floodwater in crawl space areas, garages, and other areas as needed. In addition to providing flood protection for your home, these foundation flood vents from Smart Vent offer other benefits. Having Smart Vent flood vents installed can reduce your flood insurance premiums. As a homeowner living in a flood risk area, having to pay for flood coverage can add up. With these Smart Vent products installed, you can bring your flood insurance premiums down.
Where Should Smart Vent Flood Vents Be Placed?
Use SmartVent® Flood Vents in foundation walls and other locations:
- Crawl space & basement walls
- Garage walls and overhead doors
- Enclosed walls in breakaway foundations
These vents should be installed in areas below the lowest finished level of your home, such as a crawl space or basement wall. These FEMA flood vents can also be installed in enclosed walls in breakaway foundation or in a garage wall or overhead garage door. Since these flood vents are automatic, no human interaction is required. Floodwater will automatically enter and exit these vents, allowing debris to pass through without creating any blockages. Leaves and other debris won’t become caught on louvers, grilles, or grates.
How Many Smart Vent Flood Vents Do I Need?
The right number of flood vents for houses depends on the size of your home and the type of vents you purchase. You can have Smart Vent flood vents installed in new construction or you can have a retrofit done on your existing home. Keep in mind that there are different types to choose from, such as:
- Dual function vent
- Insulated flood vent
- Garage door vent
- Double stacked unit
- Quad unit
Dual function vents serve as an air vent and flood vent. These vents provide natural air ventilation and flood mitigation. Insulated flood vents are used in areas where an air vent is not needed, such as a garage or conditioned space. Floodwater enters through the vent door or vent opening rather than rising up against foundation walls. The general rule for determining how many you need is one square inch of flood opening in your foundation wall for each square foot of your crawl space or other area. For example, a crawl space measuring 2,000 square feet will need 2,000 square inches of flood openings.
What Size Are Smart Vent Flood Vents?
Flood vents are available in different sizes, depending on how much square footage is needed for flood coverage. At the lower end, smaller flood vents can provide 200 square feet of flood coverage. At the higher end, larger flood vents or units can provide 800 square feet of flood coverage. Dual function flood vents also range from 51 square inches of air ventilation to 102 square inches of air ventilation.
How Much Does a Smart Vent Flood Vent Cost?
The cost of a Smart Vent flood vent can vary, depending on the type you get and other factors, such as how many you need. In general, prices range from around $215 for a dual function flood vent to around $1,200 for a Smart Vent insulated block wall.
How to Install Smart Vent Flood Vents
Smart Vent flood vents should be installed so that the bottom of each vent is no higher than a foot above the highest exterior or interior adjacent grade. Keep in mind that you should have a minimum of two flood openings on two different walls for each enclosed area that is below the BFE. This ensures proper entry and exit of flood water. When installing flood vents, do not install any louvers, screens, or other coverings that block the flow of floodwater. For more information on Smart Vent Flood Vents to keep your home safe from flood damage, please contact Bradley Building Products. Our experts can provide more detailed information on our smart vents and help you choose the right vents for your home.