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How Much Does the Typical Flood Insurance Policy Cost

Apr 26th, 2013
by Jarvis Team.
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The cost for flood insurance is based on many factors. Rates are determined in a similar way to policies issued for residential homes. The cost will vary based on coverage amount, flood zone, and the deductible. Review some of the main factors that are used to calculate the cost of a policy before contacting an insurance agent about coverage.

Flood Zone

A flood zone is a designated area based on the likelihood of flooding. Three main categories make up a moderate to low-risk flood zone map. However, some flood zones have subcategories. These include A, V, B, C, and X.

Homes in a city or town with a river or stream will typically be in zone A. Zone A is considered to be a high-risk zone as the overflow of a river or a small creek and result in major flooding.

Properties that are near the ocean are classified as zone V. Zone V is at the highest risk for flooding due to storm surges from hurricanes and tropical storms.

A home that is located in zone B is less likely so have any flooding. These areas often have a Preferred Risk Policy that can be purchased at much lower rates. One thing to keep in mind is that low-risk areas are also susceptible to flooding.

Coverage Limits

The coverage limits for flood insurance vary depending on how much insurance is needed. The highest amount for a residential home is $250,000 and non-residential buildings have a limit of $500,000. The contents coverage also has a limit. Residential homes have a limit of $100,000 and buildings that are non-residential have a limit of $500,000.

Deductibles

The deductible for flood insurance works the same way as automobile and homeowners insurance. The coverage kicks in after paying the deductible. A deductible of $500 and $750 is available. Selecting the higher amount will lower the amount of premium paid for the policy. One thing to keep in mind with a flood insurance deductible is that is applies to both the building and to the contents. This means paying two deductibles for the same flood.

Average Cost

Homeowners will typically page an average of $535 per year for flood insurance. This amount goes up or down depending on zone, coverage amount, and deductible amount. The total cost will apply for the building and the contents. The average cost for a building in zone B, C, and X is about $370. The costs for contents will be around $180.

The average amount of coverage that is provided for a residential home is $35,000 and contents will be $10,000. However, coverage amounts of $250,000 for a building will cost about $1,800 per year.

Severe Weather Threatens South Florida On Tornado Alert Next 48 Hours

Apr 3rd, 2013
by Jarvis Team.
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Following on the heels of severe storm activity from Texas to Georgia on Easter Sunday, potentially severe thunderstorms are expected to flare up across portions of the South this week. The worst of the weather could produce large hail, damaging winds and wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour. There is also a likelihood that tornadoes could spawn out of the unstable weather.

Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Fort Pierce Florida are among the cities that will be directly in the path of severe storms in Florida this week. The main concerns with the thunderstorm activity are strong winds, hail and isolated tornadoes. The National Weather Service had a severe thunderstorm warning in effect for the Houston, TX area Tuesday night. The main threats with the storm over the Houston area are hail, high winds and locally heavy rainfall. Residents of Houston were being warned Tuesday night to be aware of the possibility of localized flooding on roadways Wednesday and were being reminded of the dangers of driving through standing water.

The same system that will produce storms in Texas will also cause bad weather along the Gulf Coast. This unstable weather system with potentially damaging winds, hail and severe thunderstorms will eventually hit the northern portion of Florida by Thursday at the latest. An upper level low pressure system that was over the four corners states Tuesday is responsible for sending the severe weather into the South. This system already stirred up a ruckus of storms across west Texas Tuesday with hail, wind and a couple of tornado touch downs. More storms will be developing around Texas’s Big Bend area Wednesday. They say that everything in Texas is big and some of the storms in the Lone Star State will be big from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning from the Big Bend region across to the Houston area. Eventually the storms will move across the South to bring severe weather to New Orleans and northern Florida. By Thursday, severe thunderstorms with heavy rain and potential flooding will be a real threat to the northern portion of Florida including the Panhandle.

Thunderstorms in the Sunshine State late Thursday into early Friday could produce damaging winds and a few tornadoes. The air will be warm enough with just the right amount of humidity on Friday to support super-cell storms and potentially dangerous tornadoes. As the severe weather moves into the South, enough rain could come down to provide some relief of drought conditions from central Texas to parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Then, later in the week, some needed rainfall will come down on portions of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and of course Florida. Some areas could receive up to four inches of rain when all is said and done. Urban and low-lying areas could very well flood with that type of heavy rainfall so folks living in the South should be aware of what’s happening weather-wise this week into the weekend.

Sinkholes are Common in the State of Florida

Mar 5th, 2013
by Jarvis Team.
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There was widespread new coverage last week of a Tampa-area home that was swallowed up by a large sinkhole, killing a man inside. Shortly after that sinkhole occurred, the ground opened up between two homes just a few short miles away. Coincidence? Hardly. Thousands of sinkholes open up in the Sunshine State each year. There is even a large sinkhole in Florida that’s opened to tourists and divers, called “Devil’s Den”.

Sinkholes are naturally occurring works of nature in the landscape in Florida. They belong in the same land form classification as caves and underground drainage systems which also make up the Florida landscape. A sinkhole occurs when acidic rainfall seeps down through the surface soil where it eventually reaches a soluble bedrock such as limestone – which is what half the land mass of Florida is made up of.

The process of a sinkhole forming and then opening is one that can go on for centuries as water slowly dissolves small parts of the rock to enlarge its natural fissures and joints to create a cavity beneath. As the process unfolds, the loose soil above is slowly washed into the cracks and voids. As the hole underground expands, sooner or later the surface layer of soil will simply give way.

When a sinkhole collapses, the materials above it will funnel into the sinkhole and that material includes homes, businesses and whatever other types of things may be sitting atop the area. In sinkhole-prone areas such as Florida, geologists routinely carry out land surveys for builders and property owners who are worried about sinkholes.

The state of Florida is known as having a karst landscape. What this means is that the landscape is formed by underground erosion of rocks (limestone) which can be dissolved by water. With Florida’s average annual rainfall total of about 4 feet, the land making up the state is very susceptible to sinkholes. These naturally occurring works of nature are so common in fact that Florida is often called the “Sinkhole Capital”. When you couple that much rain with the limestone that half of the state is made up of, you get sinkholes and sometimes very large ones occurring all across the state.

So how do you know if you have sinkholes on your property? You can look for cracks in your foundation, fences & utility poles that wobble and window & door frames that suddenly don’t fit correctly. Warped fences and doors and windows that don’t close are other warning signs of a sinkhole lurking beneath the surface of the ground. There are tests which can be conducted to determine if there is a sinkhole present. One involves inserting a tube into the ground to see what the solidity of the rock is like in the soil. Ground-penetrating radar can also be used to determine if a property is at risk for a sinkhole.

Proper Mold Remediation Involves Sealing Off Ventalation

Feb 11th, 2013
by Jarvis Team.
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Why Is Containment So Important During Mold Remediation

Containing Mold Contaminated Materials is Critical

Mold spores can pose a serious health threat to those exposed to the microscopic particles. The spores are the reproducing product of mold growth and can be thought of as the seeds that can spread the mold. The spores can also cause respiratory problems in people that have been exposed. Mold poses the greatest risk to people with compromised respiratory health. Mold contamination can occur after flooding, after a plumping leak or sewer backup or when building materials become wet from a roof leak.

Common symptoms for mold associated health problems include shortness of breath. More serious conditions occur when the mold spores develop into an infection within the lungs. Prompt medical treatment is urged whenever mold related respiratory problems are suspected.

Removing mold infected materials is critical to making a home safe for habitation. Hard surfaces, those that do not absorb moisture can be cleaned with a bleach mixture. Moisture absorbing materials, such as drywall, carpet and upholstered furniture most be removed from the home.

Place the moldy materials in a container that can be closed and sealed. Heavy-duty garbage bags work for lighter materials although a heavier container may be required for building materials such as drywall or wood. Workers handling the material should wear the proper masks while handling mold contaminated materials. Cleaners should also wear eye protection that seal against the skin of the face without ventilation holes and waterproof gloves that extend beyond the wrist.

Containing the mold contaminated materials until it can be safely disposed of is critical to keeping the home safe. Even after the moldy material is removed from the home it poses a risk until disposed if a landfill or other approved location.

Containment of the mold contaminated materials helps limit the potential exposure of people in and around the materials. Once the moldy materials are placed in the containment systems, those bags or boxes should be disturbed as little as possible. Movement of the boxes or bags can shake loose more of the spores and create additional chances for inhalation hazards by people around the containment bags.

Few bagging or containment systems are completely airtight and some potential for mold spores escaping always exists. For this reason, it is always recommended that the containment bags or boxes be removed from the home as soon as possible. In some areas, mold contaminated materials most be disposed of by an approved contractor. In other areas, the containment bags or boxes can be disposed of with the normal trash.

The mold cleanup process is generally considered complete when all hard surfaces have been decontaminated and sanitized and absorbent materials that have become infested with mold have been removed from the premises.

Cleanup Efforts Continue after Sandy Devastates The East Coast

Nov 16th, 2012
by Jarvis Team.
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Over two weeks since Superstorm Sandy struck the East coast and caused havoc and widespread devastating damage in scores of communities, those who took the brunt of the storm are still struggling to clean up the mess left behind. Residents in Red Hook – a NYC neighborhood that was submerged by the rising sea water describe the current conditions there using phrases like “a living hell” and “unbelievable still”. If it were not for the volunteers who are going door to door in that and other neighborhoods, many victims would not know what to do or where to turn.

Large, home improvement chains like Lowe’s and Home Depot as well as many local hardware stores are hustling to keep up with the huge demand for storm-related items following Sandy. As soon as items such as generators, power saws and ladders arrive in stock, they are quickly purchased by property owners who are trying to repair damages and restore power to their storm-struck homes.

Governors up and down the storm-ravaged East are not being shy about asking for as much federal money as they can for their storm-struck states. It is estimated that the damages and lost economic activities as a result of the big storm are over $50 billion. Governor Cuomo of New York is asking for a whopping $30 billion in federal aide to help rebuild his state. There are still tens of thousands of people homeless or displaced in the East from the storm and even more without power after sixteen days.

Tons of debris can be seen piling up in the streets of towns in numerous states that were hit by the massive 1,000 mile wide hurricane that came ashore under a full moon. Record-setting storm surge inundated portions of New York City while it re-arranged the New Jersey Shore and tore up neighborhoods in Long Island and in the Big Apple’s outer boroughs. Storm cleanup companies, contractors and electricians from across the country have converged on the region to offer their services. It could take weeks for some neighborhoods and communities to return to a somewhat ‘normal’ state after Sandy, a storm that was one of the largest ever to hit the United States.

Time for Floridians to Be Ready for Tropical Storms as Irene Approaches

Aug 22nd, 2011
by Jarvis Team.
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It is time for residents of Florida to prepare their homes and properties for the possible arrival of tropical storms and hurricanes. Tropical storm Irene is threatening to become the first storm to reach hurricane strength this week as it is making its way along the southern coast of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The National Weather Service has said that Irene could hit the southern Florida coasts by as early as Thursday or Friday of this week as a hurricane.

Now is not the time to become complacent if you live in Florida just because there has been an absence of severe storms in recent years. The Florida Division of Emergency Management wishes to warn people in the state to not have a false sense of security during this year’s hurricane season. Hurricane Katrina made landfall in southern Florida in late August of 2005 as only a Category 1 storm but the damage it did to homes and properties was extensive.

The most common type of damage which can occur during a tropical storm or hurricane in Florida is debris breaking windows and water filling a property. Also, high winds can wreak havoc on a building, creating pressure inside which can cause the roof to rip off. A tropical storm can pack sustained winds of between 40 and 73 miles per hour while a Category 5 hurricane can bring winds in excess of 155 mile per hour with 18+ feet storm surges which inevitably lead to catastrophic damage to homes, businesses and properties.

When you live in Florida, and especially in the southern portion of the state, it is a part of life to protect your home from potential damage done by tropical storms and hurricanes. Homes can be devastated by high wind and waves and debris can easily break doors and windows. It is essential to do regular inspections on roofs. A technique called “hurricane blocking” can be done to new structures which entails putting an extra 2×4 under the truss which creates a pocket of air space. This prevents a vacuum from forming during occurrences of strong winds.

Impact-resistant windows can be installed on new homes. Owners of older homes can have their windows “wet-flashed” which is a process of putting a sealant on the windows to prevent water leaks. Impact-resistant doors can also be used on homes. Additionally, it is wise to see to it that doors have at least three hinges and a dead bolt lock that features a bolt which is at least two inches long. There are no other storms on earth as powerful as hurricanes so it is essential to prepare your Florida property before a storm strikes. It is also important to know your city’s community disaster plan and to create a family plan as well.

Tips for Boarding up Your Windows before a Hurricane

Jul 15th, 2011
by Jarvis Team.
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The hurricane season in Florida starts from June and lasts until November. It is imperative that you take all the preventive measures before and during the hurricane season. Boarding up the windows of your home can considerably reduce the chance of damage caused by wind and water. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that you should use five-eighths-inch marine plywood to board up your windows. However, it is important to understand that this preventive measure provides a temporary protection against hurricanes. It is highly advised that you should use more solid and durable structures such as steel shutters, especially if you live in areas, like Florida, which are more likely to experience a high-intensity hurricane.

Other things that you will require for boarding up your windows are gloves, safety goggles, tape measure, circular saw, framing square, pencil, drill and drill bits, ¼-inch lag screws (for houses with wood frame structure), ¼-inch expansion bolts, wrench, hammer, nuts, masonry anchors, wood anchors and large washers.

1. Count the number of windows in your homes and use the tape measure to determine the width and height of each window. Add 8-inch to both the width and the height.

2. Take the circular saw and cut the board as per measurements you have taken. Wear the gloves and safety goggles while doing so to prevent the wooden splinters from piercing into your hands and injuring your eyes. Use the framing square to get a straight cut.

3. Now take the drill and use drill bits corresponding to the diameter of the screws or bolts to drill the holes. The holes should be 2-inch in from the edge of the board at every corner. Drill the holes all-around the panel by keeping twelve-inch gaps between them. For example, drill one hole at the top right edge of the panel, then measure down twelve inches and drill another one. Keep on repeating this process until you have drilled the holes around the whole board panel.

4. Position the drilled board in place firmly and use the pencil to mark opening of the holes.

5. Now secure the board on all four sides. If you are securing the board on a wooden frame house and windows measuring 3-by-4 feet or smaller, then apply plastic-coated permanent anchor. Place a washer and use the wrench to tighten ¼-inch lag screws into each hole. For windows larger than 3-by-4, use 3/8-inch lag screws. For securing the board to masonry house with windows 3-by-4 feet or smaller, apply galvanized permanent expansion anchor and use ¼-inch expansion bolts. Use the hammer to pound in the screws. For bigger windows, use 3/8-inch expansion bolts.