Method for protecting houses, buildings and structures from floodwaters using sandbags

Abstract

Method for protecting houses, buildings and structures from floodwaters, comprising the steps of: 1) placing a sheet of heat-shrinkable material covering the floor in front of the entrance of a building and over the entrance of the building; 2) arranging in rows one above the others a series of sandbags on the sheet of heat-shrinkable material; 3) wrapping the bags of sand stacked in front of the entrance of the building to be protected with the heat-shrinkable sheet; 4) applying heat to the sheet of heat shrinkable material until the sheet shrinks over the sandbags into a compact elongated unit; and 5) arranging the aforementioned elongated and compact unit against the entrance of the building that is to be protected from flood waters.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A method of protecting buildings from floodwaters, comprising:
 placing a sheet of heat-shrinkable material over a floor adjacent to and exterior to an entrance of a building, over said entrance of said building and each side of said entrance of said building;   placing a sequence of sandbags arranged one next to the other and stacked in tiers, forming an orderly progression on top of the portion of said sheet over said floor wrapping said sequence of sandbags with the portion of said sheet over said floor;   wrapping said sequence of sandbags with the portion of said sheet over said entrance;   applying heat to the portion of said sheet wrapping said sequence of sandbags to conform said sheet to said sequence of sandbags;   applying heat to the portion of said sheet wrapping over each side of said entrance to conform said sheet to each side of said entrance; and   arranging said sequence of sandbags against said entrance.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the heat-shrinkable material may be one of polyolefin, fluoropolymer polyvinyl chloride, neoprene, silicone elastomer, or Viton. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the heat applied to the heat-shrinkable material is hot air from a hot air blower. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sheet of laminate heat-shrinkable material protrudes at least two feet on each side of the entrance of the building to be protected from flood waters. 
     
     
         10 . A flood barrier, comprising:
 a sheet of heat-shrinkable material, said sheet placed on top of a floor adjacent to and exterior to an entrance of a building, said sheet extending beyond the sides of said entrance; and   a sequence of sandbags arranged one next to the other and stacked in tiers, forming an orderly progression on top of said sheet, said sequence of sandbags being wrapped by said sheet by heat being applied to conform said sheet to said sequence of sandbags, said sequence of sandbags capable of being curved after being wrapped.