Smart vents installed in Manasquan, NJ
We recently replaced five foundation vents with Smart Vents for a homeowner in Manasquan, NJ. The old vents would not adequately protect the home from damage in the event of floodwaters from a severe weather events such as a hurricane, tropical storm, or nor’easter, which unfortunately seem to be occurring more frequently and with greater severity. Often, we can simply remove the existing vents and replace them with Smart Vents. However, sometimes, as we did here, we must cut into the foundation to properly fit the improved vents. Either way, the transition from traditional vents to Smart Vents is easy and seamless, and at the end of the day, the homeowner is left with considerable protection of their home foundation against damaging floodwaters.
Smart Vents prevent severe foundation damage by equalizing hydrostatic pressure. Hydrostatic water pressure can reach tens of thousands of pounds. It’s enough pressure to collapse large dams and retaining walls let alone home foundations. They work by allowing floodwaters to freely enter and exit the basement or crawl space. And how they so it is deceptively easy. Unlike traditional air vents, these vents open automatically and passively on their own once floodwaters reach a certain level. They do not require human intervention and no electricity is needed. The vents provide a 3-inch clearance for small debris and trash to easily pass when the vent door is opened by patented internal activation floats. For vented crawl spaces, there are Smart Vent models with a metal coil sensitive to temperature changes that opens and closes the vent louvers, and, just like the Smart Vent models that respond to water levels, these vents open and close automatically and do not require manual intervention.
Perhaps most important, these vents are FEMA and NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) compliant. They are deemed so effective by these agencies that the installation of these foundation flood vents can save homeowners, on average, 80% of their NFIP premiums. Any Jersey Shore homeowner with a crawl space or basement in a flood hazard area, especially NFIP-designated V Zones and A Zones, should strongly consider installation of Smart Vents. Smart Vent has its own Flood Risk Evaluator division to ensure that Smart Vent purchasers receive the proper flood insurance rating. They can provide homeowners with an estimate of their new lower flood insurance premium at www.yourfloodrisk.com.