Frequently Asked Questions

The Ark Angel system has minimal impact on your home's appearance and landscaping, because it is attached directly to the concrete slab at the base of the home's walls.  So it's typically behind the landscaping and only extends 4-6 inches outward from the home's wall.  We can also vary the storage system's appearance and color to best suit the home's appearance and the homeowner's desire.

The Ark Angel system has been designed to remain stable for at least 10 years of use, with minimal maintenance.  It is easily repaired if necessary.  The materials and installation techniques have been used for several decades in the commercial flat roofing and geo-liner industries, and have proven long-term outdoor stability.  The Ark Angel system also includes a storage system, to protect the most sensitive flood protection system components from the elements while in storage.

The system has been designed to require minimal maintenance, once it's installed.  A bi-annual inspection of the system is recommended, to check for any damage to the waterproof fabric, the integrity of the watertight seal to the home, and the operability of the drainage system.  The purchase of an Ark Angel system includes 3 years of biannual maintenance performed by an Ark Angel technician.  Following that, Ark Angel will provide detailed written maintenance procedures for the homeowner (and phone support as needed).

The Ark Angel flood protection system has been designed to have minimal impact on a home's appearance, while in storage.  

From a regulatory point of view, any barrier that decreases the permeable land area of a property during use, or alters the stormwater runoff, will likely present regulatory issues.  During use, the Ark Angel waterproof liner is pressed up against the home's walls and any leakage that gets to the "dry" side of the barrier is pumped back out to the "wet" side of the barrier (i.e, only a couple of inches out from the home's walls).  Because of this, the Ark Angel system doesn't impact the permeable land area or stormwater runoff of the property--in contrast to almost all other flood protection barriers.

The Ark Angel drainage system includes two sump pumps, with battery backup, to remove any water that gets to the "dry" side of the barrier--whether from leakage or rainfall.  Any water that gets to the dry side of the barrier flows easily to the two sump pumps, via a system of channels that are stable to hydrostatic pressure from the floodwater.  The drainage system is positioned below the level of the home's weepholes.

Because the barrier is right up against the home's walls and is behind the home's downspouts, minimal rainwater gets to the "dry" side of the barrier (in contrast to most other flood protection barriers).  

The Ark Angel system has been tested several times, using simulated flood conditions on the wall of a home on which the system had been installed.  This wall was chosen to be most representative of what will be encountered in customer homes--corners, doors, piping exiting the wall, water faucets, electrical sockets, etc.  This helped us design a system that is able to effectively protect an entire home.

A pre-cut lightweight panel (weighs roughly 4 lb) is placed across the doorway and the system's waterproof fabric is hung across this area, continuing on the preinstalled hooks along the home's walls.  This results in no seams being needed across doorways, which minimizes leakage.  Several storage methods have been developed, to minimize the impact of the fabric across the door threshold during storage.