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

Abstract

A method for protecting houses, buildings and structures from floodwaters, including 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, arranging vertically arranged rows of sandbags on the sheet, then wrapping the rows of sandbags with the sheet, and applying heat to the sheet so that the sheet shrinks over the sandbags to form a compact unit, and then positioning the unit against the entrance of the building.

1 . A method of protecting buildings from floodwaters comprising:
 placing a sheet of heat-shrinkable material over a floor adjacent to an entrance to a building, over the entrance to said building, and over each side of said entrance to 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 the sheet over said floor;   applying heat to the portion of said sheet wrapping said sequence of sandbags to conform said sheet to said sequence of sandbags to form a unitary structure; and   reinforcing said unitary structure; and   arranging the reinforced unitary structure against the entrance.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of reinforcing comprises (a) or (b) and wherein:
 (a) wrapping and securing a series of reinforcing strips around said unitary structure;   (b) wrapping and securing a series of reinforcing strips around said unitary structure and heat sealing a second sheet of heat-shrinkable material around said reinforcing strips and said unitary structure.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said step of reinforcing comprises (a). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said step of reinforcing comprises (b). 
     
     
         5 . A flood barrier comprising:
 a sheet of heat-shrinkable material, said sheet adapted to be placed on top of a floor adjacent to an entrance to a building, said sheet adapted to extend beyond the sides of said entrance;   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 the sheet over said floor;   said sequence of sandbags being wrapped in said sheet and heated to conform to said sequence of sandbags to form a unitary structure; and   a reinforcement surrounding said unitary structure.   
     
     
         6 . The flood barrier according to  claim 5 , wherein said reinforcement is (a) or (b), wherein:
 (a) said reinforcement is a series of reinforcing strips around said unitary structure;   (c) said reinforcement is a series of reinforcing strips around said unitary structure and a second sheet of heat-shrinkable material secured around said reinforcing strips and said unitary structure.   
     
     
         7 . The flood barrier according to  claim 6  wherein said reinforcement comprises (b).