The instructions say:
Item C2.h Enter the lowest grade elevation at the deck support or stairs. For Zone AO, use the natural grade elevation, if available. This measurement must be to the nearest tenth of a foot (nearest tenth of a meter, in Puerto Rico) if this certificate is being used to support a request for a LOMA or LOMR-F.
To me, this is talking about columns that support a second story deck or overhang, or stairs up to a second story deck. At least, that's how I've read it. Today, I'm doing an El Cert on a property that has an elevated pool deck, and I'm wondering if a ground shot next to the pool deck is required. My guess is no. Here's a picture, not the best picture, but you can see the ground slopes off at the pool deck. It drops about 4.5 feet at it's lowest. The house is built near a pond and you can see the top of bank of the pond. Face of the wall on the back side of the pool deck is nearly in the pond (and probably is after major rain storms).
What do you think?
Yes. You need to shoot that elevation. That is the lowest floor for that scenario.
I'm NO expert, but I would interpret that as the ground elevation at the pool deck corner...(far right corner in pic).
No, this is 1B type house, so the lowest floor is living area floor. If this has a crawlspace, it would be differnt.
Yes, I did shot that elevation, just in case. I'll probably end up putting it for C2.h with a note explaining that in the comment section.
OK, I goofed, I think. At what elevation can flood water start pushing against a wall? Is the deck, as you call it, solid concrete all the way to the ground? No voids between the pool and the visible walls? Is this more like an above ground pool with a deck surrounding it? If so, the supports under that deck must be shot at ground level. That figure will be used to determine potential flood damage.
> OK, I goofed, I think. At what elevation can flood water start pushing against a wall? Is the deck, as you call it, solid concrete all the way to the ground? No voids between the pool and the visible walls? Is this more like an above ground pool with a deck surrounding it? If so, the supports under that deck must be shot at ground level. That figure will be used to determine potential flood damage.
The floor of the house is 0.4' above BFE, so I'd think the pool would be submerged, or close to it, in a full-on 100 year flood. Yeah, it's a solid masonry wall around the pool area, back filled with dirt. I wouldn't call it an above ground pool, it's more like an in ground pool placed in a filled area surrounded by the retaining walls. There is no void below the deck or between the pool and the walls, as far as I can tell.
I didn't take great pictures, because I thought I knew what I was going to do when I was on-site. Now, I'm second guessing myself.
This is the other side.
Question. Any idea how long flood waters might stay against that wall around the pool before going down? Should the adjacent soil become saturated, water will begin to saturate the soil inside the walls creating upward forces. If the pool is empty or only slightly filled, these pressures could damage the pool.
This is a coastal region, so the BFE is based on a hurricane storm surge (which would flow back to sea quickly), rather than a prolonged flooding event like the middle of the country is seeing.
I've never really thought of a pool deck to be what they were looking for c2.h Most pool decks are flat on the ground, and I don't even think of them as decks, but rather a concrete "slab on grade". Then I saw this today, and it looked like something someone might consider a "deck". I could see if that wall gets damage, it might cause a washout and undermine the building foundation, which makes it different than the typical pool deck. Still, I get the impression that what they were looking for in c2.h were supports that are structural to the house. I'm not even sure that pools are covered by FEMA policies. I onced asked if pool equipment could be considered "lowest equipment", and was told absolutely not.
I enjoy this site so much because I learn something every day.
> I'm NO expert, but I would interpret that as the ground elevation at the pool deck corner...(far right corner in pic).
I would agree with that.
