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Terms & Conditions

This website is owned and operated by The Digerati Group LLC. By visiting our website and accessing the information, resources, services, products, and tools we provide, you understand and agree to accept and adhere to the following terms and conditions as stated in this policy (the "User Agreement").

This User Agreement is in effect as of 01/01/2018.

We reserve the right to change this User Agreement from time to time without notice. You acknowledge and agree that it is your responsibility to review this User Agreement periodically to familiarize yourself with any modifications. Your continued use of this site after such modifications will constitute acknowledgment and agreement of the modified terms and conditions.

Responsible Use and Conduct

By visiting our website and accessing the information, resources, services, products, and tools we provide for you, either directly or indirectly (the "Resources"), you agree to use the Resources only for the purposes intended as permitted by (a) the terms of this User Agreement; and (b) applicable laws, regulations and generally accepted online practices and guidelines.

You agree that:

a. In order to access our Resources, you may be required to provide certain information about yourself (such as identification, contact details, payment information, and other information) as part of the registration process, or as part of your ability to use the Resources. You agree that any information you provide will be accurate, correct, and up to date.

b. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any login information associated with any account you use to access our Resources. Accordingly, you are responsible for all activities that occur under your account(s).

c. Accessing (or attempting to access) any of our Resources by any means other than through the means we provide, is strictly prohibited. You specifically agree not to access (or attempt to access) any of our Resources through any illegal, automated, unethical or unconventional means.

d. Engaging in any activity that disrupts or interferes with our Resources, including the servers and/or networks to which our Resources are located or connected, is strictly prohibited.

e. Attempting to copy, duplicate, reproduce, sell, trade, or resell our Resources is strictly prohibited.

f. You are solely responsible any consequences, losses, or damages that we may directly or indirectly incur or suffer due to any unauthorized activities conducted by you and you may incur criminal or civil liability for such unauthorized activities.

g. We may provide various open communication tools on our website, including but not limited to blog comments, blog posts, public chat, forums, message boards, newsgroups, product ratings and reviews, and various social media services. We do not always pre-screen or monitor the content posted by users of these various communication tools, which means that if you choose to use these tools to submit any type of content to our website, then it is your personal responsibility to use these tools in a legal, responsible and ethical manner. By posting information or otherwise using any open communication tools as mentioned, you agree that you will not upload, post, share, or otherwise distribute any content that:

We have the right at our sole discretion to remove any content that, we feel in our judgment does not comply with this User Agreement, along with any content that we feel is otherwise offensive, harmful, objectionable, inaccurate, or violates any copyrights or trademarks. We are not responsible for any delay or failure in removing such content. If you post content that we choose to remove, you hereby consent to such removal, and waive any claim against us for such removal.

h. We do not assume any liability for any content posted by you or any other third party users of our website. However, any content posted by you using any open communication tools on our website, provided that it doesn't violate or infringe on any third party copyrights or trademarks, becomes the property of The Digerati Group LLC, and as such, gives us a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, exclusive license to reproduce, modify, adapt, translate, publish, publicly display and/or distribute as we see fit. The foregoing only applies to content posted via open communication tools, and does not apply to information that is provided as part of the registration process as part of your use of the Resources. However, we do reserve the right to share any contact information that you provide to us with advertisers or other third parties who offer products or services that we, in our sole and absolute discretion, determine would be of interest to you.

i. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Digerati Group LLC, its parent company/companies and affiliates, and their directors, officers, managers, employees, agents, successors, assigns, and licensors (collectively, "The Digerati Group LLC Parties"), from and against all losses, expenses, damages and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, resulting from any violation of this User Agreement or the failure to fulfill any obligations relating to your account incurred by you or any other person using your account. We reserve the right to take over the exclusive defense of any claim for which we are entitled to indemnification under this User Agreement. In such event, you shall provide us with such cooperation as is reasonably requested by us.

Limitation of Warranties

The Digerati Group LLC Parties expressly disclaim any and all warranties, express or implied, regarding the Resources, arising by operation of law or otherwise, including without limitation any and all implied warranties of merchantability, quality, accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, no encumbrance, or title, in addition to any warranties arising from a course of dealing, usage, or trade practice.

The Resources are provided with all faults, and the entire risk as to satisfactory quality, performance, accuracy, and effort is with the user.

The Digerati Group LLC Parties do not warrant that the Resources will fulfill any of your particular purposes or needs, or that the operation or use of the Resources will be uninterrupted or error-free. The Digerati Group LLC Parties disclaim all implied liability for damages arising out of the furnishing of the Resources pursuant to this User Agreement, including without limitation, mistakes, omissions, interruptions, delays, tortious conduct, errors, representations, or other defects arising out of the failure to the furnish the Resources, whether caused by acts of commission or omission, or any other damage occurring.

Limitation of Liability

In conjunction with the Limitation of Warranties as explained above, you expressly understand and agree that your potential recovery for any claim against The Digerati Group LLC Parties arising from or relating to the Resources or this User Agreement shall be limited to the amount you paid, if any, for use of products and/or services. The Digerati Group LLC Parties will not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or exemplary loss or damages which may be incurred by you as a result of using the Resources, or as a result of any changes, data loss or corruption, cancellation, loss of access, or downtime.

Copyrights, Trademarks, and License

Subject to your compliance with this User Agreement, The Digerati Group LLC grants you a non-exclusive, non-sublicensable, revocable as stated in this User Agreement, non-transferable license to access The Digerati Group LLC websites, and to use the Resources. The Resources, including any portion of The Digerati Group LLC websites, may not be reproduced, duplicated, copied, modified, sold, resold, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise exploited for any commercial purpose without the prior, express written consent of The Digerati Group LLC. All rights not expressly granted in this User Agreement are reserved by The Digerati Group LLC. Without limitation, this User Agreement grants you no rights to the intellectual property of The Digerati Group LLC or any other party, except as expressly stated in this User Agreement. The license granted in this section is conditioned on your compliance with this User Agreement. Your rights under this section will immediately terminate if you breach, actually or potentially, in the sole judgment of The Digerati Group LLC, any provision of this User Agreement.

Termination of Use

You agree that we may, at our sole discretion, suspend or terminate your access to all or part of our websites and Resources with or without notice and for any reason, including, without limitation, breach of this User Agreement. Any suspected illegal, fraudulent or abusive activity may be grounds for terminating your relationship with The Digerati Group LLC and may be referred to appropriate law enforcement authorities. Upon suspension or termination, your right to use the Resources we provide will immediately cease, and we reserve the right to remove or delete any information that you may have on file with us, including any account or login information.

Privacy Policy

By using or accessing The Digerati Group LLC websites and the Resources, you represent and warrant that you have read and understood the Privacy Policy, which is incorporated by reference into this User Agreement, and agree to be bound by its terms. The Privacy Policy is available at http://crawlspacedoorstore.com/#privacy.

Dispute Resolution, Governing Law, Attorneys' Fees

This User Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Any and all claims, actions, demands, causes of action, and other proceedings ("Claim" or "Claims") involving you and any of The Digerati Group LLC Parties arising from or relating to the Resources or this User Agreement shall be heard in a court or courts of competent jurisdiction in Virginia Beach, Virginia. You hereby agree to personal jurisdiction by such courts, and waive any jurisdictional, venue, or inconvenient forum objections to such courts.

You agree that any Claim you bring against any of The Digerati Group LLC Parties will only be in your individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding.

If any of The Digerati Group LLC Parties initiate a Claim against you arising from or relating to the Resources or this User Agreement, The Digerati Group LLC Parties will be entitled to recover from you their reasonable costs and attorneys' fees incurred as a result of such Claim. If you initiate a Claim against any of The Digerati Group LLC Parties arising from or relating to the Resources or this User Agreement, and any of The Digerati Group LLC Parties prevail on such Claim, The Digerati Group LLC Parties will be entitled to recover from you their reasonable costs and attorneys' fees incurred as a result of such Claim

OTHER AGREEMENTS

You may choose enter into one or more separate agreements with The Digerati Group LLC concerning the Resources or other products and services offered by The Digerati Group LLC. To the extent there is a conflict between the terms of such separate agreements and this User Agreement, the terms of such separate agreements shall control.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions or comments about this User Agreement, you may contact us at:

The Digerati Group
P.O. Box 5143
Virginia Beach, VA 23471
support@thedigeratigroup.com

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy is intended to provide information to users of The Digerati Group's websites, and users of the services provided by The Digerati Group, about how The Digerati Group uses, stores, and protects information associated with such users. By using any of the websites or services of The Digerati Group, you represent and warrant that you have read and understood this privacy policy, and agree to its terms.

Effective Date Of Policy

The effective date of this privacy policy is 01/01/2018. The Digerati Group reserves the right, at any time and without notice, to add to, update, change, or modify this privacy policy by posting a new version on this page.

Information Collected By The Digerati Group

When you access The Digerati Group websites, The Digerati Group automatically gathers information that most web browsers automatically make available. This information may include IP addresses, Internet domain names, and types of devices and web browsers accessing The Digerati Group websites. Such information is anonymous and is not meant to personally identify you.

The Digerati Group websites also use cookies, which are files that are placed on your computer when you visit The Digerati Group websites. The purpose of cookies includes identifying you as a unique user of The Digerati Group websites and services, tailoring your experience on The Digerati Group websites, and enabling third-parties (such as Google) to optimize and serve advertisements to you.

If you do not wish to have cookies placed on your computer, you have several options, including: (a) not accessing The Digerati Group websites or using The Digerati Group services; (b) setting your web browser to refuse cookies; and (c) opting out of or customizing the use of third-party cookies through various websites operated by such third parties or by others (i.e., Google, Facebook, and Network Advertising Initiative). Please note that blocking or customizing the use of cookies may affect your experience on The Digerati Group websites or with The Digerati Group services.

If you decide to use certain features of The Digerati Group websites or services (such as submitting an inquiry or ordering a product or service), you will be asked to provide certain personally identifiable information, which can include your name, phone number, email address, mailing address, credit/debit card number and expiration date, and social security number. You are under no obligation to provide such information, but refusing to do so may prevent your ability to use certain features of The Digerati Group websites or services.

How The Digerati Group Uses The Information It Collects

With respect to non-personally identifiable information automatically collected from you when you access The Digerati Group websites and information gathered through the use of cookies, The Digerati Group uses such information to: (1) help diagnose problems with our server and administer our websites; (2) track the usage of our websites so we can better understand who is using our websites and services and how they are using them; and (3) share with advertisers to help them better understand our services and the preferences of our customers.

The Digerati Group may combine certain demographic information obtained from you when you use certain features of The Digerati Group websites or services (such as submitting an inquiry, registering or ordering a product or service) with site usage data to provide profiles, in aggregate form, about our users and their preferences. The aggregate, composite information may be shared with our advertisers.

The personally identifiable information you voluntarily provide to The Digerati Group when you decide to use certain features of The Digerati Group websites or services (such as submitting an inquiry, registering or ordering a product or service) may be used for the following purposes: (1) contacting you regarding The Digerati Group's products or services, including those which you have ordered or requested; (2) billing you for the products or services your ordered or requested; (3) providing the information to third parties such as shipping companies, merchant account and payment gateway service providers, governmental entities, and our product and service distributors to the extent necessary to provide the products and services that you order or request; (4) providing the information to those who assist The Digerati Group with providing its products and services; (5) providing the information when required to do so by law or if necessary to protect the property or rights of The Digerati Group, third parties, or the public; (6) providing the information to a successor of The Digerati Group in the event of a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or sale of The Digerati Group's assets; (7) providing the information to consumer credit reporting services, collection agencies, attorneys, and others in the event you fail to pay any amounts owed to The Digerati Group; and (8) providing the information to advertisers or other third parties if we determine, in our sole discretion, that you would be interested in the products or services offered by such advertisers or third parties.

Security Of Information Provided To The Digerati Group

The Digerati Group takes security seriously and uses commercially reasonable safeguards to protect against the unauthorized access, use, modification, destruction or disclosure of any information you provide to us. However, The Digerati Group cannot guarantee that any information provided to us or obtained by us will not be accessed, hacked, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by unauthorized parties.

Children's Privacy

The Digerati Group does not solicit or knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If The Digerati Group obtains actual knowledge that it has collected personal information from a child under the age of 13, we will delete such information from our database. Because The Digerati Group does not collect personal information from children under the age of 13, we have no such information to use or disclose to third parties.

Parents of minors of any age may contact our Privacy Coordinator at the mailing address or e-mail address indicated below in order to: (1) access personally identifiable information The Digerati Group has collected from their child; (2) correct or modify such information; (3) request to have such information deleted; and (4) request that we no longer collect or maintain such information.

How To Request Changes To The Personally Identifiable Information We Collect

You can review and request changes to the personally identifiable information that The Digerati Group has collected from you by contacting our Privacy Coordinator at the mailing address or e-mail address indicated below.

Do-Not-Track Disclosure

The Digerati Group does not respond to "Do Not Track" signals sent by browsers.

Consent To Receive Communications

By providing your name, email, mailing address, and/or phone number to The Digerati Group, you consent to receive electronic and other communications from The Digerati Group. You may opt out of receiving electronic communications at any time by: (a) following the unsubscribe instructions contained in each communication; or (b) by contacting our Privacy Coordinator at the mailing address or e-mail address indicated below.

Third-Party Websites

The Digerati Group is not responsible for the content of websites operated by third parties to which it may provide links on The Digerati Group's websites or for the websites of advertisers. Such third parties and advertisers may also have privacy policies that are different from this privacy policy. Therefore, you should inform yourself of the privacy policies and practices of any websites of third parties or advertisers.

Contacting Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, The Digerati Group websites, or The Digerati Group products and services, please contact our Privacy Coordinator at the mailing address or e-mail address indicated below:

The Digerati Group
Attn: Privacy Coordinator
P.O. Box 5143
Virginia Beach, VA 23471
support@thedigeratigroup.com

Refund Policy

How long do I have to return my item?
Any item(s) purchased may be returned within 60 days. Item(s) must be returned in same condition as purchased, in original box, and all hardware included (screws, anchors, nylon pins, nylon nuts).

If any hardware is not returned there is a $5.00 charge which will be deducted from your refund.

Shipping cost for returned items?
Customer is responsible for return shipping cost. We suggest you ship item(s) back Fed Ex or UPS.

Once item(s) are returned, we will refund your full purchase cost.

I need replacement parts?
If product(s) is under year warranty, we will ship item at no charge with proof of purchase.

If item is over year warranty, customer is responsible for cost of shipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a Flood?

  "Flood" is defined in the Standard Flood Insurance Policy (SFIP), in part, as:

  A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties (at least one of which is your property) from overflow of inland or tidal waters, from unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source, or from mudflow.

• What is the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)?

  The NFIP is a Federal program enabling property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding. This insurance is designed to provide an insurance alternative to disaster assistance to meet the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods.

  Participation in the NFIP is based on an agreement between local communities and the Federal Government that states if a community will adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance to reduce future flood risks to new construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas, the Federal Government will make flood insurance available within the community as a financial protection against flood losses.

• Why as the NFIP established by Congress?

  For decades, the national response to flood disasters was generally limited to constructing flood-control works such as dams, levees, sea-walls, and the like, and providing disaster relief to flood victims. This approach did not reduce losses, nor did it discourage unwise development. In some instances, it may have actually encouraged additional development. To compound the problem, the public generally could not buy flood coverage from insurance companies, and building techniques to reduce flood damage were often overlooked.

  In the face of mounting flood losses and escalating costs of disaster relief to the general taxpayers, the U.S. Congress created the NFIP. The intent was to reduce future flood damage through community floodplain management ordinances, and provide protection for property owners against potential losses through an insurance mechanism that requires a premium to be paid for the protection.

• How was the NFIP established and who administers it?

  The U.S. Congress established the NFIP on August 1, 1968, with the passage of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. The NFIP was broadened and modified with the passage of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (PDF 446KB) and other legislative measures. It was further modified by the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (PDF 294KB) and the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004. The NFIP is administered by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

• What is a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)?

  In support of the NFIP, FEMA identifies flood hazard areas throughout the U.S. and it's territories by producing Flood Hazard Boundary Maps (FHBMs), Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and Flood Boundary & Floodway Maps (FBFMs). Several areas of flood hazards are commonly identified on these maps. One of these areas is the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) or high risk area defined as any land that would be inundated by a flood having a 1-percent chance of occurring in any given year (also referred to as the base flood). The high-risk area standard constitutes a reasonable compromise between the need for building restrictions to minimize potential loss of life and property and the economic benefits to be derived from floodplain development. Development may take place within the SFHA, provided that development complies with local floodplain management ordinances, which must meet the minimum Federal requirements. Flood insurance is required for insurable structures within high-risk areas to protect Federal financial investments and assistance used for acquisition and/or construction purposes within communities participating in the NFIP.

• What is the NFIP's Write Your Own (WYO) Program?

  The Write Your Own (WYO) Program, begun in 1983, is a cooperative undertaking of the insurance industry and FEMA. The WYO Program allows participating property and casualty insurance companies to write and service the Standard Flood Insurance Policy in their own names. The companies receive an expense allowance for policies written and claims processed while the Federal Government retains responsibility for underwriting losses. The WYO Program operates within the context of the NFIP, and is subject to its rules and regulations.

• Do the state insurance regulators have any jurisdiction over the NFIP in their respective states?

  As established by the U.S. Congress, the sale of flood insurance under the NFIP is subject to the rules and regulations of FEMA. FEMA Division has elected to have State-licensed insurance companies' agents and brokers sell flood insurance to consumers. State regulators hold the insurance companies' agents and brokers accountable for providing NFIP customers with the same standards and level of service that the States require of them in selling their other lines of insurance. Private insurance companies participating in the Write Your Own (WYO) Program must be licensed and regulated by States to engage in the business of property insurance in those States in which they wish to sell flood insurance.

• How does the NFIP benefit property owners, taxpayers and communities?

  Through the NFIP, property owners in participating communities are able to insure against flood losses. By employing wise floodplain management, a participating community can protect its citizens against much of the devastating financial loss resulting from flood disasters. Careful local management of development in the floodplains results in construction practices that can reduce flood losses and the high costs associated with flood disasters to all levels of government.

• What is the definition of a Community?

  A community, as defined for the NFIP's purposes, is any State, area, or political subdivision; any Indian tribe, authorized tribal organization, or Alaska native village, or authorized native organization that has the authority to adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances for the area under its jurisdiction. In most cases, a community is an incorporated city, town, township, borough, or village, or an unincorporated area of a county or parish. However, some States have statutory authorities that vary from this description.

• Why is participation in the NFIP on a community basis rather than on an individual basis?

  The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (PDF 446KB) allows FEMA to make flood insurance available only in those areas where the appropriate public body has adopted adequate floodplain management regulations for its flood-prone areas. Individual citizens cannot regulate building or establish construction priorities for communities. Without community oversight of building activities in the floodplain, the best efforts of some to reduce future flood losses could be undermined or nullified by the careless building of others. Unless the community as a whole is practicing adequate flood hazard mitigation, the potential for loss will not be reduced sufficiently to affect disaster relief costs. Insurance rates also would reflect the probable higher losses that would result without local floodplain management enforcement activities.

• Is community participation mandatory?

  Community participation in the NFIP is voluntary (although some States require NFIP participation as part of their floodplain management program). Each identified flood-prone community must assess its flood hazard and determine whether flood insurance and floodplain management would benefit the community's residents and economy. However, a community that chooses not to participate within 1 year after the flood hazard has been identified and an NFIP map has been provided is subject to the ramifications explained in the answer to Question 20. A community's participation status can significantly affect current and future owners of property located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). The decision should be made with full awareness of the consequence of each action.

• What is the NFIP's emergency program?

  The Emergency Program is the initial phase of a community's participation in the NFIP and was designed to provide a limited amount of insurance at less than actuarial rates. A community participating in the Emergency Program either does not have an identified and mapped flood hazard or has been provided with a Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM), and the community is required to adopt limited floodplain management standards to control future use of its floodplains. Less than 1 percent of the 20,000 communities participating in the NFIP remain in the Emergency Program; FEMA hopes to convert all communities to the Regular Program of the NFIP. For additional information on mapping, please refer to the "Flood Hazard Assessment and Mapping Requirements" section of this booklet.

• What is the NFIP's regular program?

  A community participating in the Regular Program of the NFIP is usually provided with a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and a detailed engineering study, termed a Flood Insurance Study (FIS). (Additional information on FIRMs and FISs is provided in the "Flood Hazard Assessment and Mapping Requirements" section of this booklet.) Under the Regular Program, more comprehensive floodplain management requirements are imposed on the community in exchange for higher amounts of flood insurance coverage.

• What happens when a community does not enforce its floodplain management ordinance?

  Communities are required to adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance that meets minimum NFIP requirements. Communities that do not enforce these ordinances can be placed on probation or suspended from the program. This is done only after FEMA has provided assistance to the community to help it become compliant.

• What is Probation?

  Probation is the formal notification by FEMA to a community that its floodplain management program does not meet NFIP criteria. It is an action authorized under Federal regulations.

• When can a community be placed on probation?

  A community can be placed on probation 90 days after FEMA provides written notice to community officials of specific deficiencies. Probation generally is imposed only after FEMA has consulted with the community and has not been able to resolve deficiencies. The FEMA Regional Director has the authority to place communities on probation.

• How long will probation last?

  Probation may be continued for up to 1 year after the community corrects all Program deficiencies and remedies all violations to the maximum extent possible.

• What penalties are imposed when a community is placed on probation?

  An additional $50 charge is added to the premium for each policy sold or renewed in the community. The additional charge is effective for at least 1 year after the community's probation period begins. The surcharge is intended to focus the attention of policyholders on the community's non-compliance to help avoid suspension of the community, which has serious adverse impacts on those policyholders. Probation does not affect the availability of flood insurance.

• What is Suspension?

  Suspension of a participating community (usually after a period of probation) occurs when the community fails to solve its compliance problems or fails to adopt an adequate ordinance. The community is provided written notice of the impending suspension and granted 30 days in which to show cause why it should not be suspended. Suspension is imposed by FEMA. If suspended, the community becomes non-participating and flood insurance policies cannot be written or renewed. Policies in force at the time of suspension continue in force for the policy term.

• What happens if a community does not participate in the NFIP?

  Flood insurance under the NFIP is not available within that community. Furthermore, Section 202(a) of Public Law 93-234, as amended, prohibits Federal officers or agencies from approving any form of financial assistance for acquisition or construction purposes in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). For example, this would prohibit loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, insured by the Federal Housing Administration, or secured by the Rural Housing Services. Under Section 202(b) of Public Law 93-234, if a Presidentially declared disaster occurs as a result of flooding in a non-participating community, no Federal financial assistance can be provided for the permanent repair or reconstruction of insurable buildings in SFHAs. Eligible applicants may receive those forms of disaster assistance that are not related to permanent repair and reconstruction of buildings.

  If the community applies and is accepted into the NFIP within 6 months of a Presidential disaster declaration, these limitations on Federal disaster assistance are lifted.

• Explain the discounts on premiums that can be obtained in communities that qualify for the Community Rating System (CRS) because they have floodplain management programs that go beyond the minimum requirements to participate in the NFIP.

  The NFIP's Community Rating System (CRS) recognizes community efforts beyond the NFIP minimum standards by reducing flood insurance premiums for the community's property owners. The discounts may range from 5 to 45 percent. The discounts provide an incentive for new flood mitigation, planning, and preparedness activities that can help save lives and protect property in the event of a flood.

• What procedures must be followed for a community to participate in the Community Rating System?

  Participation in the CRS is voluntary. A community in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NFIP may apply. The community's Chief Executive Officer must appoint a CRS coordinator to handle the application work and serve as the liaison between the community and FEMA. The first step in the application process is for the community to obtain a copy of the CRS Coordinator's Manual which describes the program and gives details on the eligible activities. The CRS coordinator should fill out and submit an application for participation in the CRS. The CRS will verify the information and arrange for flood insurance premium discounts.

• How can a community acquire the CRS coordinator's manual and other information describing the program?

  The CRS Coordinator's Manual, additional CRS publications, and software may be ordered online or by writing, phoning, or faxing a request to the NFIP/CRS. Contact information is listed in the "Additional Reading" section at the end of the booklet. All publications are free, and the computer software for completing the application is also available at no charge.

• What is FEMA?

  FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA's mission is to support citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve a capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

• What is NFIP?

  NFIP is the National Federal Insurance Program. The NFIP is a Federal program enabling property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding. This insurance is designed to provide an insurance alternative to disaster assistance to meet the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods.

• What is a non-engineered opening?

  A non-engineered opening is calculated by multiplying the height times the width of the flood vent's opening. They are used to meet the NFIP's prescriptive requirements of 1 square inch of net open area for every square foot of enclosed area.

• What is an engineered opening?

  Engineer openings have a characteristic that differ from non-engineered openings. They are designed and certified by a registered design professional as meeting certain performance characteristics described in FEMA TB 1 / August 2008. Engineered openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, valves, or other coverings or devices provided that they permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters. The advantage of an engineered flood vent compared to a non-engineered vent is it takes fewer engineered flood vents to meet NFIP's requirements.

• What is the NFIP regulation that defines the flood vent requirements?

  The NFIP Regulations for enclosures are codified in the Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, in Section 60.3(c) (5), which states that a community shall: "Require, for all new construction and substantial improvements, that fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that are usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than a basement and which are subject to flooding shall be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters. Designs for meeting this requirement must either be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect or meet or exceed the following minimum criteria: A minimum of two openings having a total net area of not less than one square inch for every square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding shall be provided. The bottom of all openings shall be no higher than one foot above grade. Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, valves, or other coverings or devices provided that they permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters."

• Can you simplify the flood vent requirements?

  Yes. You must have at least one square inch of opening in the foundation wall for every square foot of house's enclosed area. The bottom of the flood vent opening must be less than 12 inches above the ground. Two vents per enclosed area, on different exterior walls.

• Does a flood vent have to have a 3" opening so a tennis ball can pass through?

  No. TB 1 / August 2008 defines the 3" opening size on page 26 as: "Engineered openings are to be not less than 3 inches in any direction in the plane of the wall. This requirement applies to the hole in the wall, excluding any screen, grate, grille, louvers or devices that may be placed in or over the opening." Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, in Section 60.3(c) (5), states: "Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, valves, or other coverings or devices provided that they permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters." The 3 inch rule is for the hole in the wall not the space between the louvers or screens.

• Can I put a fixed cover on a flood vent in the winter?

  No. TB 1 / August 2008 explains on page 19 that it is unacceptable to "have detachable solid covers that are intended to be manually installed over the opening in cold weather, because they do not allow for the automatic entry and exist of floodwaters when the cover is in place."

• Can screens or louvers be used over flood vents?

  Yes. Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, in Section 60.3(c) (5), states: "Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, valves, or other coverings or devices provided that they permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters."

• Do flood vents have to be labeled with the opening size?

  Not if the flood vent package is labeled with the opening size. TB 1 / August 2008, page 20 sates: "Manufacturers of devices intended for use as standard air vents typically indicate the number of square inches that each device provides for air flow (either stamped into the metal frame or noted on the packaging).

• What is ICC-ES?

  ICC stands for International Code Counsel. ES stands for Evaluation Service. ICC-ES evaluates building products for compliance with code. For more information about ICC visit their website at www.icc-es.org. Crawl Space Door Store is a member of ICC.

• What is ICC-ES (AC364)?

  This is an ICC test that is used to prove that an automatic flood vent opens during a flood event. The title of ICC-ES (AC364) is "Acceptance Criteria for Automatic Foundation Flood Vents". Some flood vents have an automatic lid that is closed when there is not a flood event and opens automatically when there is a flood vent.

• Are your flood vents ICC-ES (AC364) evaluated?

  No. ICC-ES (AC364) is a test to prove an automatic flood vent opens automatically to allow flood waters to enter and exist. This is a requirement for flood vents that automatically open and closes. Our vents stay in an open position all of the time and do not require this test. The criteria for this test is attached and titled "ICC-ES (AC364)". Also, attached is an example of the evaluation report "ESR-2074" showing results of the test.

• Why is your flood vent made of plastic?

  We built our flood vents out of a durable ABS plastic so they do not rust or rot and they do not have to be maintained. Metal flood vents need to be oiled and sprayed with a lubricant to keep them from rusting.

• Why did you design your flood vents with fixed louvers?

  We did not want any moving parts that could malfunction and stop the flow of water during a flood situation. We also wanted them to stay in the open position to allow fresh air to flow into and out of the crawl space.

• Why does your flood vent fit flush on the outside surface of the foundation wall?

  We designed it to attach to the outside surface of the foundation wall for two main reasons; to make it easy to install with either construction adhesive or stainless screws and so you do not have to chisel or grind the brick.

• Why do I need crawl space ventilation?

  The presence of moisture is what leads to mold, whch can be bad for your health and costly to remove. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the way to control mold is to control moisture. The main source of crawl space moisture is ground evaporation, and ventilation allows this evaporation to dissipate. Proper ventilation not only exhausts moisture from the crawl space but replaces it with fresh, drier air providing effective moisture control. Ventilation also helps to remove strong odors and dangerous radon gas from the crawl space.

• How do I benefit from an exhaust fan?

  Exhaust fans pull air out of the crawl space and removes radon, odors and moisture. Moisture causes mold, and mold is both costly to remove and dangerous to people, especially young children and individuals with breathing problems. Exhausting crawl space air removes the bad air and brings in fresh air from the outside environment. Bad or stagnant air in the crawl space seeps into the home through cracks in the floor, which can cause health problems in asthmatics and children.

• What different types of fans do you offer?

  We offer three types of fans including portable fans, shutter fans and door-mounted shutter fans. All meet OSHA standards and have OSHA-approved components, including an OHSA-approved grill around the fan blades. All have a corrosion-resistant frame and aluminum shutter.

• Do you offer a fan controller?

  Yes. We offer a humidistat.

• What type of crawl space monitor do you offer?

  We offer the Weather Station (Model WS). This component monitors the temperature and humidity in the crawl space. The crawl space sensor is wireless. The monitor is portable (and can be located in a convenient location in the house), with an easy-to-read LED screen.

• Why do I need portable fans?

  Without cross-ventilation, air in unventilated corners or areas of a crawl space becomes stagnant and foul. Portable crawl space fans correct this problem by directing air flow into unventilated crawl space areas.

• What is the function or purpose of the portable fan system?

  The portable fan is connected to a 10" flex duct and the other end of the flex duct to an 8"x16" foundation air vent. Evacuating air from the crawl space removes radon, odors and moisture from under the house.

• What is the benefit of a crawl space door fan?

  A crawl space door fan removes radon, odor and moisture from the crawl space and pull in fresh air from the outside environment. The shutter fan is mounted in the crawl space door for easy installation without hindering access to the crawl space.

• What is the benefit or a fan control system?

  A fan control system has various components, including humidistats (instruments for measuring and controlling humidity) and a thermostat. The fan control system turns the fan or fans on and off. The fans can be controlled to come on when the crawl space humidity reaches a certain preset amount. Similarly, they can be set to not come on if the humidity is higher outside the crawl space than in the crawl space, or when the temperature in the crawl space is cold enough to freeze pipes.

• How can I choose the right product for my home?

  While various manufacturers' products have certain similarities and differences, sometimes you may feel like you're comparing apples and oranges. The best indicator to follow is to check the fan system which offers the CFMs (cubic feet per minute) of air displacement that you need and when you want the fans to turn on and off.

• How does a homeowner benefit from buying a fan or fan system from Crawl Space Door Store?

  The crawl space fans and fan systems are relatively inexpensive to purchase and operate, easy to install and very durable.

• How does a contractor benefit from buying a fan or fan system from Crawl Space Door Store?

  The crawl space fans and fan systems are not only relatively inexpensive to purchase and operate, they're also easy to install and very durable. Crawl space moisture control is a large problem. A contractor or termite company can offer profitable services by using these products.

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Crawl Space Door Store
P.O. Box 5143
Virginia Beach, VA 23471
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Certifications

Our engineered flood vents are FEMA compliant in the following states: