I am being asked to provide an elevation certificate (hopefully LOMA) on a car wash.?ÿ The car wash has a typical full-service drive-through operation, an enclosed mechanical room, and open self-service bays under a common roof.?ÿ The perimeter of the entire structure and mechanical room are above the BFE, however within these open bays, the ground slopes towards a center channel drain that run perpendicular to the openings (wall to wall).?ÿ These drains are below the BFE and do touch the support walls of the bays.?ÿ Would this disqualify the structure for a LOMA??ÿ Thanks?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
Mini-cellars.
This sort of thing is irritating from a common sense standpoint.?ÿ First, surface water would only enter these low points if the BFE was exceeded.?ÿ Second, holding/transferring water is their function.?ÿ Pressure from saturated soils should be of minimal influence.?ÿ Nevertheless, we are asked to provide information that is black and white and then allow others to evaluate the relative importance.
I recall running into a similar situation a few years back. If I recall correctly I spoke to a FEMA floodplain manager who spoke about the fact that since LOMA??s for buildings don??t ask about elevations inside of buildings, that a lot of people are able to use LOMAs to get out of needing flood insurance, even though they may have a basement well below the 100 year BFE. I think the idea behind it is, if the flood waters can??t make it to the LAG around the building, then how would the low spot in the building flood? On the other hand if you provide a Flood Elevation Certificate, the calculations of the basement elevation (especially finished basements) would cost your client extra on flood insurance.?ÿ
Saturated soils, especially highly expansive clay soils, can most definitely cause structural damage without water ever reaching the BFE.
It is not our job to get our clients the lowest possible insurance rating, it is to get them the correct rating.?ÿ Do it incorrectly and you may end up paying for their damages for a long time.