Benefits

• Protects wires and outlets and prevents the rewiring of the house in small floods events

• Allows the house to have power right after the flood event

Restrictions

• Work requires an electrician subcontractor. Not volunteer friendly

• Due to the cost involved, we only do this work on homes where we are already hiring an electrician

Cost comparison

• No additional investment if the house is being rewired

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• Louisiana; Houston; Coastal Bend, TX; North Carolina

Benefits

• Prevents damage from the HVAC unit and allows the house to have power and an functional A/C. Having a low humidity environment prevents mold growth. 

Restrictions

• Heavy unit. Requires multiple people and coordination to prevent injuries. HVAC consultant needed if changing of the duct system is required.

Cost comparison

• Low investment. Units can be elevated using concrete blocks or by building a wooden structure or scaffolding. 

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• Louisiana, Houston

Benefits

• Plastic base. Can be dried out, sanitized and reinstalled after a flood event.

Restrictions

• None. Very volunteer friendly

Cost comparison

• Low investment. More cost effective than ceramic tile.

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

Houston; Coastal Bend, TX; North Carolina

Specifications 

• Brand: Life Proof

Lessons learned 

• We tried a different, cheaper brand before called Home Decorators Collection and the floor was buckling up. We had to return to some of the homes in Coastal Bend and Houston to reinstall the flooring using the new brand.

Benefits

• Flood proof. If installed on a concrete slab home and properly it doesn't need to be removed.

Restrictions

• Concrete slab homes

• Not volunteer friendly. Requires high skill set.

• Can impact timelines, because it takes longer to install.

Cost comparison

• More expensive than vinyl tiling

• Higher labor cost due to installation time

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• Louisiana; Houston

Lessons learned 

• Use contractor labor or only install in small sections of the house.

Benefits

• Resists moisture and will not rot or deteriorate

• Improve year-round comfort

• Increase the life of the roof

• Durable and break-resistant

Restrictions

• None. Very volunteer friendly

Cost 

• A 1,575 sq. ft. home cost $179.00

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• North Carolina, Coastal Bend

Specifications 

• Brand: Owens Corning.  Raft-R-Mate 22-1/2 in. x 4 ft. Attic Insulation Rafter Baffle Proper Vents

Lessons learned 

Benefits

• Water proof. It can be taken out, dried out, sanitized and reinstalled. 

Restrictions

• None. Very volunteer friendly

Cost comparison

• insulating a 10-square foot wall area to R-15 costs about $3.40 to $4.00 with fiberglass insulation, while a comparable R-value for rigid foam costs roughly $10.00.

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• Louisiana; Houston; North Carolina

Specifications 

• Brand: Owens Corning. Needs spray foam to fill spaces between Styrofoam and the studs.

Lessons learned 

• Use single pieces and don't try to save scraps. It's hard to reinstall the insulation if the piece is broken down in the wall cavity (tetris like).

Benefits

• Creates a physical barrier at 4 feet which prevents moisture from the lower 4 feet to spread to the upper 4 feet. 

• Improves insulation properties, when the R-13 insulation is removed during muck and gut and a new one is installed at the lower 4 feet.

Restrictions

• None. Volunteer friendly.

Cost comparison

• Low investment. Cost of 2x2 wood. 

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• TX Hurricane Harvey - Houston

• NC Hurricane Florence

Specifications 

• 2x2 stud to be installed at 4 feet on insulated walls.

Benefits

• Creates a physical barrier at 4 feet which prevents moisture from the lower 4 feet to spread to the upper 4 feet. 

• Facilitates mucking and gutting.

• Reduces mudding and taping time. 

Restrictions

• None. Volunteer friendly.

• Not all homeowners like the looks of chair rail.

Cost comparison

• Low investment. Cost of chair rail. 

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• Louisiana

Specifications 

• Leave an inch gap between the drywall and cover that space with chair rail. 

Benefits

• Helps to prevent new mold growth after the mold sanitation process.

Restrictions

• Releases organic fumes. Respirators and proper ventilation is required.

Cost comparison

• Approximately $78 per gallon.  

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• TX Hurricane Harvey - Houston

• NC Hurricane Florence

Specifications 

• Brand: Zinnser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 .   This is not the same as Killz. Regular Killz primer is NOT proven to help in the prevention of mold growth.

Benefits

• Prevent water accumulation underneath the house.

Restrictions

• Runs on electricity.  If power goes out during an event, pump will not operate. 

Cost comparison

• The average sump pump installation cost is around $200 for DIY installation. Professional installation of a sump pump, new sump basin, and related installation supplies is around $450. 

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• NC Hurricane Florence

Specifications 

• Sump pump rate of discharge are dependent on:

• A sump pit receives 20" of water in 1 minute, or approximately 20 gallons.

• Multiply: 20 gallons x 60 minutes x 1.5 = 1800 Gallons per Hour (GPH) capacity needed.

Benefits

• Plastic base. Can be dried out, sanitized and reinstalled after a flood event.

Restrictions

None. Volunteer friendly

Cost comparison

• 32" x 80" hollow interior door cost approximately $78 dollars compared to approximately $120 for a 32" x 80" vinyl door

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• TX Houston

Lessons learned 

• Very had to find this product in stores.

Benefits

• Plastic base. Can be dried out, sanitized and reinstalled after a flood event.

Restrictions

• None. Volunteer friendly

Cost comparison

• Compared to MDF ($0.65 per lf), Vinyl baseboard cost approximately $.085 per lf

Programs that already used this technique in selected houses

• TX Houston

• TX Coastal Bend

Lessons learned 

• Good for wet areas to prevent mold growth, but likelyhood of being used again in a flooded scenario is low.