Protect Your Business from Flood Damage

1. Gauge Your Business’s Flood Risk – Is my building in a flood zone? 

Every structure has some flood risk. Find out if yours is in a high, moderate, or low-risk flood zone. Even if you’re not in a high-risk flood zone, your structure may still be vulnerable. To verify your flood risk:  

• Check your business address by entering it into FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center. Note: If a business is in a 100-year floodplain, it would take a 1-in-100 year flood event for it to flood. This means it has a 1% chance of flooding in any given year, not that it will flood once in 100 years.  

• Examples: 

• 1-in-100 year event is 1/100 = 0.01 or a 1% chance of a flood each year 

• 1-in-500 year event is 1/500 = 0.002 or .2% chance of a flood each year 

• Visit  floodsmart.gov  to learn more about risk in your area. Refer to the map legend to see if colors or stripes cover your location. If so, you have some level of flood risk. 

• Understand your building’s Base Flood Elevation (BFE). Buildings should sit at least 3 feet above the BFE to account for higher-than-expected flood levels. 

• Get an elevation certificate that documents your property’s First Floor Height (FFH) and adjacent elevation that protects it from flood damage, which may help lower flood insurance costs.  

• Contact your city/county’s building, permitting, or land use department to see if they have an elevation certificate on file. 

• If unavailable, hire a land surveyor, engineer, or architect to complete one. 

 

2. Purchase Flood Insurance 

Water that enters a building from the ground up is considered flooding– and that damage is only covered by separate flood insurance policy, not a standard commercial property policy. While flood insurance is required for properties in high-risk zones with an active commercial mortgage, nearly one in four flood claims come from outside these areas. 

• Call your agent and ask specifically about purchasing a flood insurance policy, because this is not included in a standard commercial property insurance policy. 

• Check NFIP coverage options at https://www.floodsmart.gov/, then compare policies through private insurance agents or companies. 

• Confirm your hurricane insurance coveragedetails, which usually covers wind and rain. Most policies do not cover flooding, so purchase a separate flood insurance policy even if you have hurricane coverage. 

 

3. Document & Safeguard Valuables  

• Store important documents and inventory in an elevated, dry space. Keep digital copies when possible.  

• Create an updated inventory of equipment, furniture, merchandise, and stock. Include model numbers, serial numbers, descriptions, purchase costs and receipts when possible. 

• Take photos and videos of the interior and exterior of your business to simplify the insurance claims process. 

 

4. Elevate Utilities, Equipment, & Critical Systems 

• Relocate servers and electronics to a higher level of the building if possible. For critical equipment, platforms should be built at least three feet above the BFE. 

• Hire a licensed electrician to raise outlets, switches, and circuit breakers at least 12 inches above your building’s BFE. 

• Raise or flood-proof exterior units such as HVAC units and generators. 

 

5. Clean Gutters & Ensure Proper Drainage 

• Clean roof drains, gutters, downspouts regularly.  

• Direct downspout water at least 3 feet away from the foundation to reduce the risk of foundation damage and extend the life of the building.  

• Check the grading around the building. The ground should slope away from the foundation to prevent pooling near the structure. If water pooling is noted or the ground is sloped towards the building, hire a licensed contractor for remediation and grading. 

 

6. Protect Basements, Parking Garages, Utility Rooms, Data Centers  

Basements and below-grade spaces are often used for parking garages, utility equipment, tenant facilities, and IT systems where cooling is more efficient. These areas are highly vulnerable to flooding.  

• Hire a licensed plumber to install a sewer backflow prevention valve to stop sewage from entering your basement and keep floor drains from backing up during heavy rain.  

• Seal basement walls and floors with waterproofing compounds. Since water often seeps in through cracks, promptly reseal if new leaks appear after storms. 

• Install a sump pump for minor flooding. Test the sump pump and check backup batteries regularly.   

• Wet floodproofing: Add flood vents in parking garages to let water flow through and relieve pressure, helping to prevent structural damage. 

• Plant native vegetation around the property to reduce erosion and protect foundations. 

 

7. Anchor Large Fuel Tanks 

• Secure large fuel tanks to prevent them from floating, rupturing, or leaking hazardous contents during a flood. 

 

8. Elevate Your Commercial Structure 

Raising your building above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) is one of the most effective ways to reduce flood risk and may also lower your flood insurance premium. While elevating an existing structure can be costly, there are three common methods: 

• On fill: Placing the building on a compacted soil pad. 

• On piers or columns: Lifting the structure so floodwaters can flow underneath. 

• On solid foundation walls or crawl spaces with flood vents: Raising the building on continuous walls while allowing water to enter and exit below. 

 

9. Employ Dry Floodproofing Techniques  

For non-residential buildings in or near flood-prone areas, dry floodproofing is a method that can make your building watertight and block water entry. 

• Consult a professional engineer to evaluate and design appropriate floodproofing systems.  

• Install custom-fabricated flood panels or watertight shields over doors and windows, at least 3 feet above the BFE or 500-year flood level. 

• Consider permanent swing doors, submarine doors, or perimeter floodwalls for facilities exposed to deep or prolonged flooding. 

• Anchor structural elements of the building to resist floating or shifting during flood conditions. 

• Keep a supply of temporary protective products such as sandbags, water-absorbent barriers, or plastic sheeting for shallow flooding. 

• Deploy water-filled barriers or moveable flood gates to protect larger openings like loading docks or entryways. 

 

10. Have a Flood Emergency Business Continuity Plan 

• Create a plan your staff can follow in the event of a flood and review it regularly. 

• Review evacuation and exit procedures, including how to safely assist customers if the business is open. 

• Conduct drills so staff know how to respond. 

• Identify temporary relocation sites to keep operations running if your primary location is inaccessible. 

• Plan for alternate communication between employees, customers, and suppliers if regular channels are interrupted. 

• Protect critical data, equipment and maintain secure backups. 

• Establish backup suppliers and delivery routes. 

• Keep insurance policies, contracts, and key financial records stored securely offsite and in the cloud. 

• Train staff on utility shutoff procedures and coordinate with local emergency officials.