When spring rolls around, so do the early summer storms that can cause heavy rainfall and flooding all around the country. In Texas especially, where wayward hurricanes and tropical storms can rove their way inland and cause huge problems for cities and towns located far from the Gulf of Mexico, flooding can become a problem that many homeowners are faced with.
Knowing if you’re in a region that’s subject to heavy flooding is important as a homeowner because it can determine whether or not you qualify for flood insurance on your home and what types of coverage you’re eligible for. Unfortunately, in order to prove that you’re in a flood zone, you have to first prove that the elevation of the land where your home is built is below a certain threshold, thereby classifying it as a flood plain or flood zone—something that only land surveying in Floresville, TX can determine.
Better safe than sorry
Now, it must be explained that just because your home has flooded in the past doesn’t mean that it’s situated in a flood zone. Having a home flood and living in a flood zone are two very different things and they point to different problems entirely.
If your home floods, yet a land surveyor determines that it’s above the elevation threshold for a flood zone, it could simply mean that the infrastructure of your home has been poorly constructed or is under duress. On the other hand, if your home floods and the elevation is low enough to be considered a flood zone, there might be nothing you can do in the way of fortifying your home itself to make it more resistant to flooding.
Either way, it’s important to know exactly where your property and your home stand in terms of elevation. The good news is, every homeowner has access to this information when they purchase or refinance their home—assuming you invest in land surveying in Floresville, TX. When a surveyor comes to valuate your property, they’ll also measure things like the topography and the elevation. Knowing this information will put you one step closer to determining if you’re eligible for flood insurance.
Insuring against disaster
Back to the original fiasco of obtaining an elevation permit. Once you know that your home lies in a flood zone, you’ll need an official way to prove it to your insurance company and, as you’ve probably guessed by now, this comes in the form of an elevation certificate. It essentially lists the location of your home, the elevation, the deviation in elevation from surrounding areas that designates it as a flood zone and a notarized signature of a surveyor that serves as proof of professional investigation.
With this certificate in hand, you can then apply for flood insurance offered by your insurance provider. Different insurance options may apply based on your provider, location and elevation, however the bottom line is that with your elevation certificate stating your location in a flood zone, you can move one step closer to peace of mind in knowing that you’re covered should a heavy rain season threaten your home.