Admiral Heights Water Removal · Annapolis, MD
Water Damage FAQ for Annapolis, MD: Answers by Topic
Answers by topic, then one call to a local restoration company.
This water damage FAQ for Annapolis sorts 65 questions from across the site into 9 topics, from cost and insurance to condo and commercial rules. Each answer runs 60 words or fewer and names the rule behind it, whether City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, FEMA, EPA, or IICRC.
Every answer links to the page it comes from, where the topic runs in full with local facts. The sources box near the end lists each record these answers rest on.
Pick a topic below to jump to its questions. Call and speak with a water damage restoration company serving Annapolis about the water in your home.
Cost and Contracts
What Is the National Claim Severity for Water and Freezing Losses?
Paid water damage and freezing claims averaged $15,400 each in the US from 2019 to 2023, per the Insurance Information Institute citing ISO. That figure describes claims, not the price of an Annapolis cleanup. Your restoration company measures the moisture in your rooms and writes its own estimate.
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How Large a Down Payment Can a Maryland Home Improvement Contractor Take?
No more than one-third of the home improvement contract price, collected at or before signing, under Maryland Business Regulation §8-617. Ask your restoration company how each payment matches a finished stage of the rebuild.
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Can an Annapolis Homeowner Cancel a Repair Deal Signed at the Front Door?
Yes, for a covered sale, Maryland's Door-to-Door Sales Act allows cancellation until midnight of the third business day after signing. The seller hands you 2 copies of a Notice of Cancellation form. Ask your restoration company for that form whenever a contract is signed at your home.
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Which Lines Belong on an Annapolis Cleanup Estimate?
The estimate names the water category, the wet area, the materials coming out, and the drying equipment. Maryland requires a home improvement contract to show the contractor's license number and the price. Ask your restoration company to attach the moisture map behind each line.
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Why Is Carpet Pad a Separate Line on an Annapolis Flooring Estimate?
Pad holds water under the carpet where extraction tools fall short, so it is replaced on its own. Fresh pad lets the carpet and the subfloor reach their drying goal. Ask your restoration company to price the pad apart from the carpet itself.
More on wet carpet and floor drying
Insurance and Claims
Is a Leaking Supply Line in Maryland a Flood Claim?
No, a supply line or appliance leak goes to your homeowners carrier as a water damage claim. Flood means water from outside, and FEMA says most homeowners insurance leaves it out. Ask your restoration company to show the leak source in its first photos.
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Does a Maryland Homeowners Policy Include Sewer Backup by Default?
No, backup coverage is an add-on endorsement. Maryland Insurance §19-202 has homeowners insurers offer it in writing when you apply and again at each renewal. City of Annapolis Public Works also asks owners to check their policy for it, so read your declarations page before you call.
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Which Policy Answers for River Water Versus a Floor Drain Backup in an Annapolis Basement?
River or Bay water from outside is flood and goes to a flood policy, since FEMA says most homeowners insurance excludes flood. A floor drain backup falls under an endorsement that Maryland insurers must offer in writing. Your restoration company records which way the water entered.
Which Coverage Rules Apply When Mold Follows Water in a Maryland Home?
2 water rules apply. FEMA says most homeowners insurance excludes flood, and Maryland Insurance §19-202 has insurers offer sewer backup coverage in writing. Ask your restoration company for dated photos and readings that show when the leak began.
More on mold after water damage
Does a Moisture Survey Settle Coverage on a Maryland Claim?
No, the survey documents damage, and the insurer decides coverage. An NFIP flood claim adds prompt written notice, an inventory with receipts, and a proof of loss no later than 60 days after the loss. Ask your restoration company for a dated moisture map and photo set.
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Can FEMA Disaster Aid Take the Place of Flood Insurance in Anne Arundel County?
No, FEMA states that its disaster aid cannot replace insurance, and most homeowners insurance does not cover flood. Your restoration company keeps storm flood records apart from any pipe or appliance damage the same storm caused. Ask for flood readings on a separate sheet when you call.
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How Does Maryland Law Time an Insurer's Answer to a Water Claim?
COMAR 31.15.07 gives a Maryland insurer 15 working days to acknowledge your claim and 15 working days to reply to your messages. Coverage is affirmed or denied 15 working days after properly completed claim forms arrive. An investigation still open at 45 days calls for written notice to you.
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When Does a New NFIP Policy Start Covering a Mayo Waterfront Home?
After a 30-day wait that FEMA counts from the day you apply and pay. FEMA waives that wait for a policy bought with a mortgage loan. Ask your restoration company to keep a dated photo log of the flood damage on your Mayo property.
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What Does Maryland's Backup Endorsement Statute Say About Sump Pits?
Maryland Insurance §19-202 names water that backs up through sewers or drains, and its text does not mention sump pits. Your own endorsement sets its sump terms. Your restoration company notes whether water came up a drain or spilled over the pit rim.
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Are Finished Basement Walls Covered Under an NFIP Policy in Annapolis?
No, NFIP excludes finished basement walls and covers basement drywall only when unfinished. FEMA also says most homeowners insurance excludes flood, so the water source decides which policy applies. Ask your restoration company for dated photos and moisture readings of each wall before it comes out.
More on water damaged drywall repair
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Safety and Health
When Can a Family Return to a Flooded Annapolis Home?
Return once officials tell you it is safe, per CDC. CDC also says to switch off main power only while standing in a dry spot. Ask your restoration company which rooms it seals, because IICRC S500 puts remediation of Category 3 water ahead of drying.
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Are Sewage-Soaked Rooms Safe for Children and Pets in an Annapolis Home?
No, keep children and pets out, since IICRC S500 says Category 3 water can cause significant adverse reactions through contact or swallowing. Your restoration company seals the area with contamination controls. Ask which rooms stay open while the work runs.
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How Does an Edgewater Owner Cut Power With Water on the Floor?
Only from a dry spot, per CDC, and an electrician handles it when the main switch sits past standing water. Your restoration company holds extraction until the power question is settled for your Edgewater home.
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What Does CDC Say About a Gas Smell in a Flooded Annapolis Basement?
CDC says to turn off the main gas valve, open all windows, and leave the house when you smell gas. CDC adds that you return only once told it is safe. Tell your restoration company the furnace sat in water so it plans extraction around the unit.
What Steps Apply When a Gas Water Heater in Annapolis Stands in Water?
Leave the heater alone, and follow CDC by shutting off main power only from a dry spot or calling an electrician. A plumber licensed by the Maryland State Board of Plumbing then checks the heater. Your restoration company removes the water around it.
More on water heater leak cleanup
Which EPA Lead Rule Covers Ceiling Work in a Pre-1978 Annapolis Home?
EPA's RRP rule covers homes built before 1978. Firms working under it hold EPA certification, and their renovators train with an EPA-accredited provider. Ask your restoration company whether its crew has RRP training before an old ceiling comes down.
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Can Old Vinyl Flooring in an Annapolis Home Contain Asbestos?
Yes, EPA counts vinyl floor tiles, plus the backing and glue of vinyl sheet flooring, among possible asbestos sources. Disturbing that material sends fibers into the air, per EPA. Ask your restoration company who tests the old floor before it is lifted.
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Are Bath Rugs From a Toilet Backup Kept or Thrown Out?
The water category decides, and your restoration company assigns it after finding the source. S500 calls Category 3 water grossly contaminated, and backflow from a waste line beyond the trap falls there. Ask your restoration company to list each soaked textile on the contents sheet with its category.
More on toilet overflow cleanup
Mold and Moisture
Can Fresh Paint Cover Mold on an Annapolis Wall?
No, EPA advises against painting or caulking moldy surfaces. Your restoration company cleans or removes the growth and dries the wall first. Ask what readings it takes before any primer goes on.
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Which Mold Patch Size Does EPA Treat as Small?
EPA treats a moldy area under about 10 square feet, close to a 3 foot by 3 foot patch, as small. Growth from sewage or other contaminated water calls for a professional at any size, per EPA. Your restoration company measures the patch and the wet area around it.
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When Are Maryland's Statewide Mold Remediation Standards Due?
By June 1, 2027, under a 2025 Maryland law that directs MDE to adopt uniform mold assessment and remediation standards. Those standards follow EPA's 2008 mold guidance for schools and commercial buildings.
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Which Standard Guides Mold Work in a Sherwood Forest Home?
ANSI/IICRC S520, Fourth Edition (2024), is the mold remediation standard. Maryland has had no mold remediation license since July 1, 2019, per the MHIC. Ask whether your restoration company follows S520 when it scopes the work in Sherwood Forest.
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Does Summer Heat Matter for Mold Behind an Annapolis Wall?
Yes, the S500 consensus body says time and temperature affect how contaminants grow in water. EPA puts the drying window for wet areas at 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. Ask your restoration company how it reaches and dries a closed wall cavity.
More on hidden water leak damage
What Does EPA's 24 to 48 Hour Drying Guidance Mean for an Annapolis Home?
Water-damaged areas and belongings are dried within 24 to 48 hours under EPA's mold prevention guidance. Your restoration company logs moisture readings until each material meets its drying goal. Ask how it handles walls that stayed wet past that window.
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Does a Leak Assessment in Annapolis Include Mold Sampling?
No, an assessment measures moisture and maps the wet area without collecting mold samples. Your restoration company records each wet material so drying can follow EPA's 24 to 48 hour guidance. Ask on the call whether mold testing is a separate service.
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Reach a Restoration Company Serving Annapolis
Call and speak with a water damage restoration company serving Annapolis about the water in your home.
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Drying and Materials
What Keeps Air Movers Running in an Annapolis Home After the Puddles Are Gone?
Water has soaked into drywall, framing, and subfloor, where it stays after the floor looks dry. Your restoration company pulls the units once readings meet the drying goal. Ask for the newest readings at each visit.
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How Does Chesapeake Bay Humidity Affect Indoor Drying?
Damp summer air from outside slows the job once it enters the wet rooms. Your restoration company closes off the drying area, and dehumidifiers take over the indoor air. Ask which relative humidity reading it records for each room.
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Can Historic Plaster Ceilings in Annapolis Be Dried Without Removal?
Yes, plaster that stays bonded to its lath can be dried in place, with readings logged until it matches dry plaster nearby. Your restoration company tests that bond before it chooses drying over removal. Ask how the bond test works on your ceiling.
More on ceiling water damage cleanup
Is a Dehumidifier Enough to Dry Annapolis Basement Masonry?
No, moisture readings, not a running dehumidifier, show when a masonry wall is dry. Water still coming in from outside soaks the masonry again. Your restoration company logs wall readings until they meet the goal.
More on water in basement cleanup
Where Does Water From a Kitchen Dishwasher Go Beneath the Cabinets?
It travels along the subfloor, under the cabinet bases, and into the wall cavity behind them, with no fixed reach. Your restoration company marks the wet edge on a moisture map. Ask whether that map reaches the next run of cabinets.
Are Hardwood Boards Kept After Sewage Reaches Them?
Yes, boards stay when cleaning reaches each surface the sewage contacted, and boards that cannot be cleaned that way come out. IICRC S500 calls for Category 3 remediation ahead of restorative drying. Ask your restoration company for a list of kept and removed boards with the reason for each.
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Can Water Hide Under Vinyl Plank Flooring in an Annapolis Kitchen?
Yes, vinyl plank passes little water vapor, so a leak that runs beneath it stays on the subfloor. Your restoration company lifts planks where readings show water underneath. Ask for readings at the seams or from the room below.
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What Category Is the Water From a Failed Heater Tank?
The category depends on the water's source and its condition after contact, and time and temperature can change it, per ANSI/IICRC S500 (2021). Your restoration company records the category before drying starts. Category 2 or 3 water gets remediation first.
More on water heater leak cleanup
Permits and Repairs
Which Permit Office Covers My Address, City of Annapolis or Anne Arundel County?
For addresses within city limits, permits come from the City of Annapolis Department of Planning and Zoning. Outside them, the Anne Arundel County Department of Inspections and Permits issues them, including at 21405 and 21409 Annapolis mailing addresses. Ask your restoration company which office it files with.
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When Does Maryland Require an MHIC License on a Water Damage Job?
For the repair phase, since Maryland Business Regulation §8-301 requires a contractor license for home improvement. The MHIC FAQ places demolition and clean-up work alone outside that definition. Ask your restoration company for the license number tied to the rebuild.
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Which Maryland License Covers a Supply Line Repair in a Riva Home?
A State Board of Plumbing license, which Maryland law requires for plumbing services. Your restoration company dries the Riva house, and you can ask whether a licensed plumber handles the pipe repair.
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How Are City of Annapolis Repair Inspections Booked?
City of Annapolis repair inspections are scheduled in the Citizen Self Service portal, the same portal that takes permit applications. Ask your restoration company whether it or the rebuild contractor holds that permit.
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Does a New Kitchen Subfloor in Annapolis Require a City Permit?
Yes, the City of Annapolis permit guide calls for a building permit when the subfloor is replaced. Flooring laid over the existing subfloor needs no building permit. Ask your restoration company which subfloor boards read wet before anything is torn out.
Does a Plumber or the Restoration Company Install a New Sump Pump?
A plumber licensed by the Maryland State Board of Plumbing replaces the pump, and your restoration company extracts and dries. City of Annapolis DPW tells owners not to connect sump pumps to the sewer, so ask where the discharge line runs.
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What Does County Code Say About Sump Pits in Crownsville Basements?
Anne Arundel County code sends subsoil drains that cannot drain by gravity to a sump pit with an automatic electric pump. Your restoration company extracts the water after a pump fails in a Crownsville basement. Ask who replaces the pump.
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Is There an Extra Town Permit for Repairs in Highland Beach on Annapolis Neck?
Yes, Highland Beach adds a town zoning permit, and the Anne Arundel County building permit is still required. The zoning application goes to the town's Planning and Zoning Commission with a $50 fee. Mention the Highland Beach address on the call so your restoration company plans for both permits.
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Reach a Restoration Company Serving Annapolis
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Condo, Rentals and HOA
How Does Maryland Split a Condo Master Deductible After a Leak From Another Unit?
The unit where the leak started carries up to $10,000 of the association's master-policy deductible, per Maryland Real Property §11-114. From October 1, 2027, that share becomes the least of repair cost, deductible, or $25,000. Ask your restoration company to document where the water came in.
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What Changes for Annapolis Condo Owners on October 1, 2027?
From October 1, 2027, the owner's deductible share becomes the least of 3 amounts: repair cost, the association deductible, or $25,000. Until then, Maryland Real Property §11-114 caps it at $10,000, with any excess paid as a common expense. Ask your restoration company for a written estimate the association can compare.
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Is a Condo Deductible Above $10,000 Shared by All Owners in Maryland?
Yes, under Maryland condo law the portion above the $10,000 owner share is a common expense. That owner share applies when the overflow started in the owner's unit. Ask your restoration company to record where water reached the unit below.
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What Unit Owner Policy Does Maryland Require From October 1, 2027?
From October 1, 2027, a 2026 Maryland law has residential condo unit owners carry at least $25,000 of loss assessment coverage. A leak from a pipe, toilet, or appliance overhead goes in as a water damage claim, not as flood. Ask your restoration company to photograph the ceiling and the source above.
More on ceiling water damage cleanup
How Does an Annapolis Renter Put a Leak on Record With the Landlord?
In writing, since Maryland's rent escrow law, Real Property §8-211, has the tenant notify the landlord. A mailed letter that lists the conditions serves as notice. Ask your restoration company for dated readings to include with the letter.
What Is a Maryland Landlord's Deadline to Assess Reported Mold?
15 days after written notice, under Maryland Real Property §8-220. The landlord then remediates no later than 45 days after the assessment, or in a reasonable time when that span is not feasible. Ask your restoration company to put the scope in writing for tenant and landlord alike.
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Does Maryland's Home Improvement License Reach Condo Common Areas?
No, Maryland's home improvement definition excludes condominium common areas and buildings with 4 or more units. Ask your restoration company which licenses its rebuild crews hold for your building.
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Commercial Buildings
Which Records Do Annapolis Property Managers Ask for After a Leak?
Dated photos, a moisture map, drying logs from each visit, and a written scope. Together they show tenants and the claim file when each material reached its drying goal. Ask your restoration company for logs in a format you can forward.
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Does a Downtown Annapolis Storefront Facade Repair Need Historic Approval?
Yes, City Code Chapter 21.56 requires a certificate of approval for any exterior project on a City of Annapolis Historic District storefront. The rule applies with or without a building permit. Ask your restoration company to keep interior drying separate from the facade work.
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How Can a Business Owner Vet a Restoration Company After an Annapolis Storm?
Start with the company's legal name, address, and a written scope before work begins. Maryland's MHIC license covers home improvement on residential buildings, so it is not the check for a shop. Plumbing on any building needs a Maryland State Board of Plumbing license, so ask your restoration company who holds it.
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What Claim Timelines Does a Water-Damaged Annapolis Business Face?
Under COMAR 31.15.07, your Maryland insurer acknowledges a business property claim in 15 working days. A new NFIP flood policy starts after a 30-day wait, with exceptions, per FEMA. Ask your restoration company for a dated drying log to send with the claim.
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Reach a Restoration Company Serving Annapolis
Call and speak with a water damage restoration company serving Annapolis about the water in your home.
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General Water Damage Questions
Which Water Supply Feeds a Cape St. Claire Home?
Anne Arundel County maps list most of Cape St. Claire as planned for public water service. The community sits outside city limits, and the City of Annapolis runs a water system separate from the county's. Your restoration company asks which supply feeds the home.
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Does Sewer Conversion Eligibility Change an Arnold Backup Cleanup?
No, an Our wAAter listing marks eligibility for conversion and leaves the cleanup unchanged. Anne Arundel County lists 15 Arnold communities on that map, and septic sewage remains Category 3 under IICRC S500. Give your restoration company the community name on the call.
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Does One Phone Number Serve Arnold, Edgewater, and Other County Communities?
Yes, the number serves Arnold, Edgewater, and 6 other communities near Annapolis. Those communities sit outside city limits, so Anne Arundel County building permits apply. Ask on the call whether your street has existing public water and sewer, since county service maps show gaps in each.
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When Do Freezing Nights Peak at NOAA's Annapolis Weather Station?
NOAA normals for the ANNAPOLIS NAF station put January first, with 20.3 nights at or below 32°F. February follows at 14.8 nights and December at 11.6. Ask your restoration company to check outside-wall cavities after a pipe break in those months.
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Which Federal Disaster Declarations Has Anne Arundel County Received?
OpenFEMA records 23 declarations for Anne Arundel County, 18 of them since 1990. The storm list names Floyd (1999), Isabel (2003), Irene and the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee (2011), and Sandy (2012). Name the storm on the call so your restoration company dates the damage.
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What Does IICRC S500 Mean by Category 3 Water?
S500 defines Category 3 water as grossly contaminated, able to carry pathogenic, toxigenic, or other harmful agents and cause significant adverse reactions. Its examples include sewage, waste line backflow from beyond a trap, seawater flooding, and rising water from rivers or streams. Ask your restoration company which example fits your water.
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Does IICRC Treat All Storm Water as Category 3?
No, a March 2026 IICRC consensus statement says top-down water, wind-driven rain, and other weather-related water are not automatically Category 3. Seawater flooding and rising river water remain Category 3 examples. Your restoration company sets the category after it inspects the site.
More on storm and flood water cleanup
What Does One Inch of Water Across a Floor Equal in Gallons?
About 62 gallons for every 100 square feet, using NIST's figure of 7.48 US gallons per cubic foot. Tell your restoration company the room's square footage and the water depth so it plans pump capacity.
This page draws on 58 public documents, including records from Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), Maryland General Assembly, and FEMA. The fact-check sources page lists each one with the date it was checked.
Admiral Heights Water Removal
Reach a Restoration Company Serving Annapolis
Call and speak with a water damage restoration company serving Annapolis about the water in your home.
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