| Above Grade: |
a) Buildings which are built on a foundation having an average of 18" clearance or greater of well ventilated air space. b) Any section of a building that is above ground height. |
| Above Grade Subfloors: |
A floor above ground levels, but having no headroom below. |
| AO-Zone: |
A designation by FEMA for the flood insurance zone for portions of the 100-year floodplain where flood depths are identified on Flood Insurance Rate Maps in feet above grade. AO-Zone water depths range from one to three feet. |
| Basement: |
A substructure purposely cut or dug out below grade, it typically contains a concrete slab floor and concrete pour or concrete block foundation walls. The basement walls in many mid-west and back-east buildings are the concrete foundation bearing walls supporting the above grade building. |