Elevation Check: Is My Home High Enough?

Here’s a simple, human-friendly way to think about it: your home is “high enough” when the lowest floor sits above the local Base Flood Elevation (BFE) by a comfortable margin (called freeboard). The tool below lets you plug in your BFE and your home’s lowest-floor height, then shows your freeboard, a clear pass/fail status, and how many inches you’d need to reach common targets like +1 ft or +2 ft.

Flood Prep Tool

Your home is “high enough” when the lowest floor sits above the local Base Flood Elevation (BFE) with some extra safety height (freeboard). Enter your BFE and your elevations. You’ll see freeboard, whether you clear local targets, how many inches you need to reach +1 ft or +2 ft, guidance for mechanical equipment height, and a simple flood-vent helper for enclosed areas.

Inputs

This field does not auto-lookup elevation.
Confirm on FEMA Flood Map and/or your Elevation Certificate.
Lowest enclosed floor, including basement if present.
Leave blank to assume same as lowest floor.
Where do I find my BFE and elevations?
Check your Elevation Certificate (if you have one). Otherwise, use FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center, then confirm locally. Keep units in feet.
FEMA Flood Map
Find BFE & flood zone Ready.gov Floods
Prep & safety basics

Assumptions & Notes

  • Freeboard (ft) = Lowest floor − BFE.
  • Community freeboard applies to the structure. Mechanical/electrical equipment should clear the chosen target height.
  • Enclosed areas below the target height should have flood openings to relieve water pressure.
  • Local rules vary. Always check with your building department and insurer.

Results

Freeboard (Lowest floor − BFE)
—
To reach +1 ft
—
To reach +2 ft
—
Community requirement
—
Awaiting input
Enter BFE and lowest-floor elevation to see status.
Freeboard gauge (dark marker = you, blue marker = community target)
Below BFENear BFE+1 ft+2 ft

Equipment & Panels (Clearance)

Target equipment height = BFE + community/personal target.
Raise equipment by
—
  • HVAC, water heater, and electrical panels should be at or above the target height.
  • If already above target, this will show “0 in”.
  • Use a sturdy platform or relocate if needed.

Flood-Vent Helper (Optional)

Rule of thumb: provide at least 1 square inch of net open area per square foot of enclosed area, with at least two openings on different walls.
Check manufacturer specs (often 51–85 in²).
Required vent area (in²)
—
Estimated vents needed
—
Minimum wall count
2
Status
—
This is a planning estimate only. Local code details (placement height, debris screens, engineered vents) can change requirements.

How the math works

  • Freeboard (ft) = Lowest floor − BFE.
  • To reach +1 ft = max(0, (BFE + 1) − Lowest floor) × 12 (inches).
  • To reach +2 ft = max(0, (BFE + 2) − Lowest floor) × 12 (inches).
  • Community requirement pass/fail compares Lowest floor to (BFE + community freeboard).
  • Equipment raise (in) = max(0, (Equipment target − Equipment height)) × 12.
  • Vent area (in²) ≈ Enclosed ft² × 1; vents needed = ceil(Required in² ÷ net-open-area per vent).