After several years of searching, we have finally found our dream plot. The problem is that it is located just behind a levee on the Danube River (disregarding the old buildings on it, but that’s another story :p). From the start, we ruled out building a basement because the groundwater is also not far below.
However, if we still decide to go ahead with it, how can the house be best protected against groundwater and flooding, in case the levee fails? Although it has never happened in its 30 years of existence, you never know.
How is a ground floor and slab-on-grade (concrete slab) constructed in such conditions? Are there windows or doors that are more resistant to water than standard ones? We are planning to have the heating and electrical systems on the first floor. Which type of heating system is especially suitable for that? I would appreciate lots of tips and tricks 😀
However, if we still decide to go ahead with it, how can the house be best protected against groundwater and flooding, in case the levee fails? Although it has never happened in its 30 years of existence, you never know.
How is a ground floor and slab-on-grade (concrete slab) constructed in such conditions? Are there windows or doors that are more resistant to water than standard ones? We are planning to have the heating and electrical systems on the first floor. Which type of heating system is especially suitable for that? I would appreciate lots of tips and tricks 😀
It’s good that you don’t want a basement, because during flooding the foundation can be undermined, which threatens the structural integrity.
Doors and windows should be pressure-resistant; this means the windows open outward, not inward. Additionally, I would install shutters (but not those plastic ones) in the basement to protect against floating debris in a worst-case scenario. After all, a pressure-resistant window doesn’t help if a tree crashes into it 😉
Heating systems and the electrical panel should be installed on the upper floor.
Backflow valves prevent water from rising into the house through drains like floor drains or sinks.
Whether a building can survive a flood without damage mainly depends on the building materials used. The flood protection guide published by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS), as of December 2010, lists materials and assesses their resilience against water exposure. How flood-exposed building components should be designed is described in the “Flood Handbook – Living, Housing and Building in Flood-Prone Areas” published in Rhineland-Palatinate.
So, what costs more: a plot in a safe location or the one behind the levee with the associated additional expenses? ;-)
Of course, you could skip all this, since it’s unnecessary anyway... The levee has held for 30 years! 😀
A water pump with, depending on the size of the house, a 15-meter (50-foot) hose would also be useful to pump water from the ground floor through an upper floor window in a worst-case scenario.
Doors and windows should be pressure-resistant; this means the windows open outward, not inward. Additionally, I would install shutters (but not those plastic ones) in the basement to protect against floating debris in a worst-case scenario. After all, a pressure-resistant window doesn’t help if a tree crashes into it 😉
Heating systems and the electrical panel should be installed on the upper floor.
Backflow valves prevent water from rising into the house through drains like floor drains or sinks.
Whether a building can survive a flood without damage mainly depends on the building materials used. The flood protection guide published by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS), as of December 2010, lists materials and assesses their resilience against water exposure. How flood-exposed building components should be designed is described in the “Flood Handbook – Living, Housing and Building in Flood-Prone Areas” published in Rhineland-Palatinate.
So, what costs more: a plot in a safe location or the one behind the levee with the associated additional expenses? ;-)
Of course, you could skip all this, since it’s unnecessary anyway... The levee has held for 30 years! 😀
A water pump with, depending on the size of the house, a 15-meter (50-foot) hose would also be useful to pump water from the ground floor through an upper floor window in a worst-case scenario.
We have already asked around briefly, but no one here will provide flood insurance. The risk level is simply too high, especially after the recent events.
@Nutshell: The issue isn’t the cost. In our area, plots of land are just incredibly scarce. They’re all expensive, no matter where you look :p. This is the first one in over four years that we like because both the layout and the size are great. Plus, it’s affordable (and there’s even money left over for the house :cool 🙂. But as I said, we are still considering it....
@Nutshell: The issue isn’t the cost. In our area, plots of land are just incredibly scarce. They’re all expensive, no matter where you look :p. This is the first one in over four years that we like because both the layout and the size are great. Plus, it’s affordable (and there’s even money left over for the house :cool 🙂. But as I said, we are still considering it....
J
Justifier22 Jul 2013 09:10After helping with the cleanup during the recent flood, my suggestion would be not to buy the property at all.
In 2002, there was a once-in-a-century flood, and now, 11 years later, there was another one—much worse than the first. Many people believed it wouldn’t happen again.
Well, my friends and I ended up shoveling mud out of the second floor of many houses. Most of the homeowners are now facing financial ruin since nothing could be insured. If you want to live in constant fear, go ahead and buy it. I wouldn’t.
In 2002, there was a once-in-a-century flood, and now, 11 years later, there was another one—much worse than the first. Many people believed it wouldn’t happen again.
Well, my friends and I ended up shoveling mud out of the second floor of many houses. Most of the homeowners are now facing financial ruin since nothing could be insured. If you want to live in constant fear, go ahead and buy it. I wouldn’t.
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