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Almost Instant Sandbags

Just add water
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Last week was not the best. We had a storm that dumped a lot of water in a short time, with some of it coming into my home. We finally have all of the rugs dry and the mud off the floor, from the 3 inches of water that flowed throughout the downstairs floor.

Most of the problems arose when the water made it to the doorsills. It didn't come in over the sills, but under them. Needless to say, I didn't have a ready supply of sandbags or sand to hand, for some inexplicably bizarre reason.

The idea, simply, is for an elongated "sandbag" that is made of a waterproof sheet, with a layer of sand about an inch thick sewn into one side of the bag and a one-way hose fitting on the end.

Then, when it starts to flood, just roll it out (various lengths available) hook the hose up to it and turn it on. Fat sandbag (say 15in diameter), too heavy to float, full of water. Lay another on top of the first, rinse and repeat to build up a low levee.

To empty, just hook the hose back up and let them drain out.

UnaBubba, Jan 31 2014

Instant, compact for storage, sandbags. http://www.youtube....YU&feature=youtu.be
[AusCan531, Jan 31 2014]

[link]






       Recently baked [link]. Kid put a bit of salt in each one so when filled with water the sandbag has a higher density than the flood water. Commiserations UB.
AusCan531, Jan 31 2014
  

       possibly useful for keeping water out from under the sill; useless for building into a levy: one of the key features of sand sandbags is that they won't get easily pushed aside, because they weigh 5x as much as water.
FlyingToaster, Jan 31 2014
  

       Hmm. First posted this in 2007.
UnaBubba, Jan 31 2014
  

       Hmm... Reposting ideas you deleted. //wrinkles eyebrows together in a downward motion//
zeno, Jan 31 2014
  

       So did this happen again, or is it just an elaborate hoax? I really felt sorry for the damage to your home. But now I'm not sure if it happened at all or seven years ago.
rcarty, Jan 31 2014
  

       [ft] makes the salient point. Also, consider that floods bring flotsam and jetsam, some of which is pointy. Even when known sandbags get punctured, the sand tends to stay in place. This idea emphasizes the bag, but the bag is just a convenience: the sand is the critical part.
the porpoise, Jan 31 2014
  

       We have something like this in the States: it's called Tube Sand, sold under the Kwikrete brand. 70 lbs of kiln-dried sand packaged in 36" x 10 dia. synthetic burlap bag lined with 20 mil clear poly.   

       Up here in the Great Frozen North we situate them over the rear axles of our vehicles for improved traction and weight distribution (I have ten in the bed of the pickup and four in the rear of my wife's VW), but they are also excellent for temporary dykes because they are lined and the tube shape is much easier to handle than standard-dimesion bags. The open end of the tube is bound with thick wire, so once in place the tube can easily be opened and filled with water, then re- sealed (people who live in flood-prone areas should be aware that a wet sandbag is heavier, less likely to come apart if punctured, and ironically makes a better seal against floodwaters).
Alterother, Jan 31 2014
  

       I'm sure a mix of custard powder and heavy water would be of use to somebody for something.
not_morrison_rm, Feb 01 2014
  

       I reposted the idea, [zeno], because I own it.   

       I deleted the account in the first place because I own it. It's not such a difficult concept.
UnaBubba, Feb 02 2014
  

       Some folks in my area toss a handful of cement or epoxy grout into sandbags before they go up on the levee. I have no idea if it makes a difference, but the river jumps its bank frequently enough that I must assume some of them know what they're doing.
Alterother, Feb 03 2014
  
      
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