So, If you have been watching the flooding in Tennessee and along the Mississippi for the past couple weeks you probably thought to yourself that there should be a way that homes can be protected.
In some cases areas that won’t naturally see flood waters are being flooded on purpose to protect people downstream.. I think that’s pretty unjust unless the people or states downstream are willing to foot the bill to cover 100% of all costs of the persons and businesses that are being sacrificed. Who is to say what area is more important? If you have moved to an area that should not see floods for the single reason of being safe … then to have others say .. too bad we are going to flood you and your business anyway.. that just seems unjust.
So, while I was thinking about these poor people and many of them are not wealthy but all of them are placed in a bad situation .. I began to think about what could be done to protect their homes, Businesses, Schools and Fire Houses…
To protect against a flash flood is not an easy thing but if there is notice of days or weeks before an area is flooded there is the possibility to save not only the contents of the buildings but maybe the buildings themselves. In addition other items such as electrical transformers, Water Treatment Plants and Pumps for fresh water see heavy damage..
The idea that I came up with may save at least a few people or businesses or even cars, Machines and Equipment that can not be easily moved.
Wrap Homes In Plastic Wrap To Protect Them From Floods
What if a manufacturer of Plastic Wrap was to produce 10 foot wide and 300 foot long rolls of plastic wrap that could be wrapped around a home in a few minutes.. It could also be used to wrap other things but Homes and Building especially Fire Houses and Hospitals that cost so much and mean so much to communities may see little or no damage if there is at least a few hours notice.
Think about it…
If two guys can wrap a home in about 30 minutes with Tyvek that is approximately the same size .. a ten foot tall roll.. 100 feet long.. then why couldn’t two guys wrap a home and seal it up with standard or heavy grade food plastic wrap to protect it from water?
It would actually be faster to do it with plastic wrap because you are not worried about stapling it to the home or cutouts for doors and windows. Simply run around the home two or three times and move on to the next building.
In areas where there is a Deck or overhang then you would have to cut a piece and overlap it correctly to make a waterproof seal. You could also extend the plastic wrap into a 2 foot deep trench around the home then backfill the hole to secure the plastic wrap to the ground. This would also secure the home and possibly prevent it from floating away.
On buildings like schools or fire stations you could extend the end of the plastic wrap about 4 feet onto the surface of the sidewalk or pavement and then sandbag it or cover it with dirt.
Between Trenching and Sandbagging around the building any shape building could be protected.
Then you add sump pumps in the basement to catch any overflow or pass by water.
Here is a drawing that I submitted to a manufacturer in hopes they would use my design. I really hope they do because it could save billions of dollars and .. gees whats so bad about unwrapping your home when you come back after a flood.
Obviously this would have to be tested.
They may need to increase the thickness of the product even if the home or building got 2 or 3 wraps in plastic.
And I understand this is not going to work if another home comes crashing into your house because of a raging river.
But it could help in many many situations.
Hey it is worth a shot anyway.
What do you guys think?
I mean at the very least it could help some people especially people in mobile homes, ranch homes and ones that won’t be completely under water but heck there is nothing to say you can’t wrap the roof too…