Is My Home in a Flood Zone?

Click The Image Below to access the Map Page. 

To find your flood map, enter an address, a place, or a set of longitude/latitude coordinates. The map will zoom in and show the boundaries of the flood map for the chosen location. You can also use the map to navigate to a place of interest using the pan and zoom functions. When a specific flood map is selected, view and download options for that map will appear:

EXAMPLES BELOW - FOR TAMPA SEARCH RESULT. CLICK ON "VIEW MAP" ON THE SEARCH RESULTS PAGE AFTER YOUR SPECIFIC SEARCH TO SEE THE AREA MAP AND FLOOD ZONES:

CLICK HERE FOR HELPFUL DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION

FLOOD ZONE DESCRIPTIONS

V Zones

According to FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program, any building located in an A or V zone is considered to be in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and is lower than the Base Flood Elevation. V zones are the most hazardous of the Special Flood Hazard Areas. V zones generally include the first row of beachfront properties. The hazards in these areas are increased because of wave velocity - hence the V designation. Flood insurance is mandatory in V zone areas. 

Living in a V Zone

If your home is in a "V" zone (this includes VE and V-1-V-30), adhere to the following recommendations: 

• The bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest floor elevation must be at or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). 
• Enclosed areas below the lowest floor cannot be used for living space. The building must be elevated on piles, piers, posts or column foundation. 
• Electrical, heating ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning equipment and other service facilities must be elevated to or above the BFE.

A Zones 

A zones - the next most volatile of the Special Flood Hazard Areas - are subject to rising waters and are usually near a lake, river, stream or other body of water. Flood insurance is mandatory in all A zones because of the high potential of flooding. A-zone maps also include AE, AH, AO, AR and A99 designations, all having the same rates. The different A zones are named depending on the way in which they might be flooded.

Living in an A Zone

If your home is in an A zone (includes AE, A1-A30, AH, AO, AR) follow these important recommendations: 

• The lowest floor elevation must be at or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). 
• Enclosed areas below the lowest floor cannot be used for living space. 
• Electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning equipment and other service facilities must be elevated to or above the BFE.

Other Zones

• X zones are minimal-risk areas where flood insurance is not mandatory.
• D zones are areas that have not been studied, but where flooding is possible.

THIS INFORMATION IS EXCERPTED FROM THE
 Official website of the Department of Homeland Security
Please Consult that site for complete Information and all details:
https://msc.fema.gov/portal/
and also from © 2017 Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, Inc. - FLASH® - All Rights Reserved.