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Guides
Flood zones and maps
- FEMA flood zones explainedWhat every FEMA flood zone code means (A, AE, AO, AH, V, VE, X, B, C, D), which zones are high risk, and when flood insurance is required.
- What flood zone am I in?How to look up your flood zone by address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, read the map, and what to do if your area is unmapped or the map looks wrong.
- Flood zone XWhat FEMA flood zone X means, shaded vs. unshaded X, zones B and C, and whether you need flood insurance in a moderate- or low-risk zone.
- Flood zone AEWhat FEMA flood zone AE means, what a base flood elevation is, when flood insurance is required, and the federal minimum building rules.
- Flood zone AWhat FEMA flood zone A means, why it has no base flood elevation, how it differs from zone AE, and the insurance and building rules that apply.
- Flood zone AOWhat FEMA flood zone AO means, how its flood depth number works, how it differs from AE and AH, and the insurance and building rules that apply.
- Flood zone AHWhat FEMA flood zone AH means, why it has a base flood elevation, how it differs from AE and AO, and the insurance and building rules that apply.
- Flood zone VEWhat FEMA flood zone VE means, how FEMA maps coastal high hazard areas, the piling and breakaway-wall building rules, and flood insurance.
- Flood zone DWhat FEMA flood zone D means, where these unstudied areas show up, whether flood insurance is required, how it is priced, and what building rules apply.
- Flood zones B and CWhat flood zones B and C mean on older FEMA maps, how they match shaded and unshaded zone X, and whether you need flood insurance there.
- Base flood elevation (BFE)What a base flood elevation (BFE) is, how to read it on a FEMA flood map, which zones have one, how to find yours, and its role in building rules and insurance.
- What is a 100-year flood?A 100-year flood has a 1% chance of happening in any year, not once a century. What that means over a mortgage, plus 500-year floods, floodplains and floodways.
- Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA)What a FEMA Letter of Map Amendment is, who qualifies, how to apply online or with the MT-EZ form, what it costs, how long it takes, and what it means for insurance.
- FEMA elevation certificateWhat a FEMA elevation certificate is, who fills it out, when you need one for flood insurance, permits or a LOMA, how to find an existing one, and what it costs.
Flood insurance
- Do I need flood insurance?When flood insurance is required by law or your lender, why homeowners insurance and FEMA aid don't replace it, and options for renters.
- What flood insurance covers (and what it doesn't)What an NFIP flood policy pays for: building and contents limits, basement limits, exclusions, deductibles, the 30-day wait and ICC coverage.
- How much does flood insurance cost?How NFIP flood insurance premiums are set under Risk Rating 2.0, FEMA's latest national cost data, the 18% yearly cap, fees, and discounts.
- Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?What state insurance regulators say about burst pipes, appliance and roof leaks, slow leaks, sewer backup, mold, flood, and renters insurance.
- How to file a flood insurance claimStep-by-step NFIP flood claim guide: reporting the loss, photos and samples, the adjuster, the 60-day proof of loss, advance payments, and appeals.
Before and after a flood
- Flood watch vs. flood warningNational Weather Service definitions of a flood watch, flood warning, flash flood warning, flash flood emergency and flood advisory, and what to do for each.
- What to do after a floodStep-by-step guide to a flooded house or basement: staying safe, photographing damage for insurance, what to throw out, drying out within 24-48 hours.
- FEMA disaster assistanceWhat FEMA's Individuals and Households Program pays for, current maximum amounts, how to apply and appeal, SBA disaster loans, and how to spot scams.
- Mold after water damageHow fast mold follows a leak or flood, when you can clean it yourself, what EPA and CDC say about bleach, black mold, testing and indoor humidity.
Around the house
- How to prevent basement floodingHow water gets into basements, and FEMA and extension advice on gutters, grading, sump pumps with battery backup, backwater valves, alarms and insurance.
- Frozen pipes: prevention, thawing and burst pipesAt what temperature pipes freeze, how to keep them from freezing, how to thaw them without a flame, where the main shut-off is, and what insurance covers.
- Water heater leaking: what to do, maintenance and lifespanWhat to do first when a water heater leaks, where leaks come from, the relief valve, how to flush the tank, how long water heaters last, and insurance.