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Floodproofing for Business and Homeowners Many of the floodproofing techniques that keep water away from a residence, such as floodwalls, levees, and structural sealing, may require special treatment for openings such as doors, windows, driveways, etc. These closures act as shields to prevent water from entering, and can be of a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. In some cases closures are permanently at- tached using hinges so that they can remain open when there is no flood threat. They may be portable, normally stored in a convenient location and slipped int9 place when a flood threatens. In certain situations, when flood- ing is of very low level, usually less than one foot, some method of enclosing low entrances such as basement doors or window wells might be a satisfactory option. In any case, there are a number of elements involved in designing and using a closure system. CLOSURE PANEL CLOSURE TRACK Figure - 17 - Exompk of a Drop-III Cw.ure In areas of shallow, low velocity flooding, clo- sures can be used on doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. However, the first step with the use of closures placed di- rectly on buildings is to be certain that both the closure and the wall systems are strong enough and sufficiently watertight to with- stand flood pressures. The use of closures directly on a structure is considered to be part of the sealing process. Closures can be considered as an option only if a flooding situation provides sufficient time to install the closures. The need for both warn- ing time and "'human intervention"' is critical, since all closure system require personnel to install them and make certain they are prop- erly sealed. Closures that are stored between floods must be readily accessible. The effectiveness of an entire closure system will be compromised if the closures are stored such that flooding ren- ders them inaccessible, or one closure is im- properly installed. For most flooding situations, a homeowner should consult with a professional engineer to be certain that the closure system being planned can withstand the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures that will be involved. Low Profile Permanent Closures For cases involving flood levels of up to two feet, a type of "mini-floodwall" can be used to permanently protect various types of open- . j~JII '. ~'///~1j,; ~ .. ~%::::;,P .-/. .-/// / P // ,/ ./. Y / / / / ../ // d-<"~/:; . / / ./...... .-/" / // '.' "-">:" ~ /' /./ /:/%. / .1/1 A .r-'~"'-..~--:,~ Figure. 18 .lkampk "'Milli". Floodwall for Window. 16