Whether it is your first flood in life or you live in an area where flooding is quite routine and therefore you consider yourself a seasoned expert in dams and barriers, at some point your flood protection may start leaking. It can happen to almost any solution from the good old sandbagging to innovative flood barriers or gates.
- there may be a breach in the barrier due to a mistake in the installation or damaged material;
- the flood may appear much more intense than you have imagined when you installed your anti-flood protection;
- the water may rise way above the standard 3-feet level and simply overflow your barrier.
Unfortunately, floods are becoming more and more unpredictable today. Even when governments are preparing in advance putting out the sandbagging barriers, helping civilians protect their houses, and keeping people informed about the timing and intensity of the upcoming flood, there are more and more reports about water overflow and massive disaster that simply cannot be controlled effectively by sandbagging or any other protection means.
However, once installed properly, according to all the recommendations, sandbagging as well as innovative flood gates and water barriers appear to be more or less equally efficient. The difference is only in the amount of time, money, and effort you are willing to invest into the protection of your property.
Therefore, in this article, we shall not really compare sandbagging to flood gates or any other solution but talk about such improbable but still theoretically plausible scenarios like barrier leakage.
Once you have peace of mind that your house or business is perfectly protected, seeing a leakage might be extremely devastating. most people start panicking and waste precious time and effort instead of eliminating the problem instantly or taking the necessary measures to minimize the water damage.
What should you do immediately when you notice the leakage?
Your actions should differ depending on the character of the floor, its intensity, your flood protection method, and the leakage itself, of course.
- If the flooding is minor and you notice leakage that comes from the bottom of your flood barrier, make sure you have installed it properly without any breaches and try to eliminate the mishap. To avoid such a situation it is always better to take a test right after you install your sandbagging dam or flood barrier and pour several buckets of water at the base;
- If the flooding is more intense than you have expected or the barrier is overflown, never try to come close to it and eliminate the problem yourself. There is a danger of a dam burst that can lead to serious trauma. In this case make sure to step away from the leakage point as far as possible, taking with you all the family members, as well as valuables and important documents as most probably the area around, will be flooded.
What to do if the water already invaded the house?
The first and basically the only thing you can do if the floodwater has already entered your house is making sure that you and your family members stay safe.
Here are several things you should do immediately after noticing that the sandbagging dam is failing and water is entering your house:
- Turn the power off. Most trauma and fatalities during the flood don`t happen because of the water itself. They are caused by the consequences and effects of water on the surroundings. Electric shock is among the most common ones. In case of severe flooding, make sure to turn the power off in the house. Of course, don`t try to do so if the powerbox is located in the basement or another area that has already been flooded due to sandbagging failure or under-preparation for the disaster. When it comes to electricity it is always better to rely on professional expertise. If you don`t feel that you have enough knowledge and skills to cut off the power, make sure to keep away from water. The same is true for returning to the house after a flood. Don`t enter the building unless you are sure the power is off;
- Protect yourself. Floodwater may be contaminated with bacteria, sewers waters, and chemicals. It is essential not to get into direct contact with it, and wear protective gloves or rubber boots if you absolutely have to touch it or walk through a flooded room. Also, floodwater is often dirty, and you may injure yourself when you don`t see the floor clearly;
- Protect the valuables. Manu people waste precious time and energy trying to save furniture, carpets, and other heavy belongings. However, once you have flood insurance, those actions are unnecessary and even dangerous. Even if your belongings are not insured, it is always best to set priorities and safe things that are most valuable and will be hard to replace especially in the light of an emergency situation. Documents, id cards, and cash money should be your highest priority. Make sure to place them into a sealed plastic container or a bag and keep them close in any case. As for furniture, carpets, and other appliance, it is always best to have them insured if they are some really valuable items no matter what. And of course, don`t try to save them if it can be potentially dangerous or cause trauma.
Sandbagging is a well-tested means to protect your property from a flood, but unfortunately, it has its weak points and requires some serious skills if you want to install it properly. Flood gates are an innovative solution that is easy to put out and disassemble. Technically, it is foolproof, and therefore temporary flood gates and barriers have a significantly lower failure rate than sandbagging.
Contact Dam Easy today and learn about our Flood Gates for home, garage, or basement and other innovative ant-flooding solutions that will help to protect your property in case of disaster. Our experts will gladly answer all your questions and suggest a solution that will fit your measurements perfectly, be easy to install and disassemble and minimize the risk of water getting into your house.
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