How Smart Vent Works
With Smart Vents, we can attend to a flooded, musty, or just generally damp basement. During a storm surge, floodwaters can load foundation walls heavily. Floodwaters and surges can undermine foundation walls. Providing a channel or vent through foundation walls, such as your basement or crawl space, allows water pressure within and outside the foundation to equalize.
- Using a method known as “wet floodproofing,” Smart Vents allow water to freely flow through crawl spaces and basements, reducing the risk of water damage to your property.
- Because of this, floodplain homes and buildings that use these vents have shown to be incredibly successful in protecting their foundations.
- The vents are self-contained devices that only come on when floodwaters reach a certain level. Until floodwater is present, the exhaust vent door is secured shut.
- In the event of flooding, innovative internal floats are activated, discharging water out the vents. There is enough space between the vents to allow little debris and waste to pass through.
Why Smart Vents Are Better Than The Competitors
- Lowering Insurance Costs: A benefit to virtually all homeowners, SMART VENTS have the possibility of reducing flood insurance prices in most places.
- Protection Against Foundation Pressure: Extreme pressure is placed on foundation walls during a storm surge. It is possible for a foundation to cave in or collapse due to the force of floodwaters and waves. Provide a channel through the foundation walls so that water pressure can be equalized both within and outside of the structure.
- Protection From Flooding: Floodwater activates an internal float mechanism that unlocks the door and pivots it open. If you’re looking for a clean, clog-free way to allow floodwater to enter and exit, the Smart Vent is the best option.
Signs Your Home Needs Smart Vents
Wet Basement
If you live in an area prone to flooding, then installing Smart Vents would be ideal, as they can help control the flow of water during heavy rainfall, which is common in West Virginia. If you have a frequently wet basement, it can lead to a host of other problems happening in the home. Mold, mildew, and excess humidity can build up.
Mold
Mold thrives in dark, damp environments, so if your basement is consistently wet due to flood water, then mold is highly likely to be growing in your basement. If you notice black or dark green patches on the surfaces in your basement, you likely have mold that can spread to other parts of your home.
Excess Humidity
Another sign you need Smart Vents is the buildup of humidity that occurs when a basement is flooded. If the water has no way out, then it will eventually turn into condensation on a hot day. This leads to wood rot, mold, and even an increase in utility bills.
FAQs
Installing Smart Vent Flood Vents helps protect your home’s foundation from damage caused by flooding OR heavy rain. Installation of flood vents has the potential to considerably reduce your flood insurance cost. Homeowners whose flood insurance premiums were reduced after the installation of flood vents saved an average of 83 percent on their coverage.
In addition to your home’s basement, Smart Vents can also be installed in different areas of your home. They can be installed in your crawl space, garage walls and overhead doors, as well as enclosed walls in breakaway foundations. Virtually anywhere that will benefit from having flood water easily rush out of your home, instead of the water becoming trapped inside.
An internal float mechanism unlocks the door when it comes into contact with floodwater, allowing it to pivot open. With the Flood Vent, water may flow in and out without being impeded by debris, unlike a screened vent that traps it. Whenever there is enough water to reach the vent aperture, the vent remains open.
Call Us For A Free Inspection
Our crew at Basement Authority is equipped with the know-how and instruments necessary to install Smart Vents, which will prevent water from flooding your basement or foundation. If you live in the rainy areas of West Virginia, Smart Vents are your greatest solution to preventing your basement from flooding. For this reason, it is essential to maintain vigilance over your Parkersburg, Charleston, or Beckley home.
You can count on us to help you deal with a wet basement because we have experience dealing with similar issues in West Virginia. Please get in touch with us if you suspect that the basement in your home has been damaged by water. Whether you want to find out if there is any damage that could indicate that your foundation or concrete basement is crumbling, you can take advantage of an inspection that is both free and does not obligate you in any way.
