FM Approved flood barriers is listed by FM Approvals. If it isn’t listed, it isn’t certified, no matter how the brochure reads. That sounds obvious, but spend ten minutes on flood protection websites and you’ll see “tested,” “compliant,” “meets standards,” and “FM-grade” used as if they mean the same thing. They don’t.
When the barrier is the only thing between floodwater and a lobby, a data center, or a hospital basement, the difference matters. This guide explains what ANSI/FM 2510 is, what it covers, and how to verify actual FM Approved flood barriers vs a claim.
What is ANSI/FM 2510?
ANSI/FM 2510 is the U.S. national standard for testing and certifying flood mitigation equipment. It started as FM Approvals’ Approval Standard 2510, and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) adopted it in 2014 (ASFPM).
Three organizations built it together: the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), FM Approvals, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Their joint National Flood Barrier Testing and Certification Program launched in 2012, and work on the standard itself dates back to 2002.
Two things make it stand apart:
- It is the only U.S. national standard for flood barrier products
- It judges both how a product performs in realistic flood conditions and the components and materials it’s made from
What the Standard Covers
ANSI/FM 2510 covers four product categories:
| Category | What it does | Common examples |
| Opening barriers | Stop water from passing through an opening in a building | Flood panels, flood doors, flood gates |
| Perimeter barriers | Temporary emergency structures that protect the area around a building | Deployable flood walls |
| Backwater valves | Check valves in drainage systems that stop sewage and stormwater backflow | Building drain valves |
| Flood abatement pumps | Remove unwanted water | Dewatering pumps |
For most commercial buildings, opening barriers are the category that matters most. Doors, loading docks, garage entries, and storefronts are where water gets in.
What ANSI/FM 2510 Testing Involves
Certification means a product survives realistic flood conditions in a controlled test, not a bathtub demo. Full-scale testing has been done at the Army Corps of Engineers’ flood barrier facility in Mississippi.
Testing typically looks at:
- Hydrostatic pressure – whether the barrier holds against standing water at its rated height
- Leakage – how much water gets past the seal, measured against allowable limits
- Debris impact and wave action – whether it holds when floodwater carries objects and moves
- Materials and components – how seals, gaskets, and hardware hold up to aging, corrosion, and wear
Certification also isn’t a one-time event. FM Approvals audits manufacturing to confirm that what ships matches what was tested. That’s the real value: the barrier at your door is the same barrier that passed.
Certified vs. Tested vs. Compliant
Only one of these phrases means a third party verified the specific product you’re buying.
| Claim | What it usually means | Independently verified? |
| FM Approved / ANSI/FM 2510 certified | The specific product and configuration is listed by FM Approvals | Yes |
| “Tested” | Someone ran a test. Who, how, and to what standard is often unstated | Not necessarily |
| “Meets” or “compliant with” FM 2510 | The manufacturer says it would pass | No |
| “Built with certified technology” | Related to a certified product, but this product wasn’t certified itself | No |
Certification attaches to a specific product, at specific sizes and configurations. A wider span, a different mounting method, or a new seal design can fall outside the listing. None of this means uncertified products are bad. It means you should know which kind you’re buying, and price and specify accordingly.
How to Verify Certification Before You Buy or Specify
Verifying a claim takes about five minutes:
- Search FM Approvals’ online Approval Guide – Look up the manufacturer and product name. If it isn’t there, it isn’t certified.
- Match the exact product – Confirm that the model, size range, and installation method in the listing match what’s being quoted.
- Ask for the listing in writing – A certified manufacturer can hand you this right away.
- Write it into the spec – Architects and engineers can require “FM Approved to ANSI/FM 2510” in project specifications, so substitutions have to meet the same bar.
- Confirm installation matches the listing. A certified barrier installed outside its listed conditions may not perform as tested.
Common misconceptions and claims:
- “FEMA approved flood barriers” – FEMA doesn’t certify or approve flood barrier products. FEMA guidance and the NFIP set requirements for buildings, such as dry floodproofing for non-residential structures, but product certification comes from FM Approvals.
- “ASCE 24 certified” – ASCE 24 is a design and construction standard for flood-resistant buildings. It tells designers what a building must achieve. It doesn’t certify products.
- “If one product is certified, the whole line is.” – Certification covers the listed products and configurations only. Always check the specific one.
- “Certified means flood-proof.” – Certification confirms performance under defined test conditions and rated heights. It doesn’t replace proper sizing, installation, maintenance, or a deployment plan.
How Flood Risk America Approaches Certification
The FRA Flood Panel is FM Approved to ANSI/FM 2510.
Our engineered flood barriers are built on the same sealing technology as the FRA Flood Panel. When a project needs certified protection, we’ll tell you plainly which configurations are listed and which are custom-engineered, so you can specify with your eyes open.
Talk to Flood Risk America about certified flood protection for your building.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ANSI/FM 2510 the same as FM Approval?
FM Approvals developed the 2510 standard and certifies products against it. ANSI adopted it as a national standard. An “FM Approved” flood barrier is one FM Approvals has certified to that standard.
Is ANSI/FM 2510 certification required by code?
Not universally. Some project owners, insurers, and specifiers require it, and many treat it as the benchmark for opening barriers.
Does certification affect flood insurance?
It can support underwriting conversations, but it doesn’t guarantee a premium change. Ask your insurer or broker directly.
How do I know if a flood barrier is certified?
Search FM Approvals’ Approval Guide for the exact product and configuration. If it isn’t listed, it isn’t certified.
