FloodSax alternative sandbag stopping water backing down a trench

How FloodSax alternative sandbags saved a remote cottage from a torrent of floodwater

FloodSax alternative sandbags saved the day when water escaping from a broken pipe threatened to deluge a cottage on a moorland hillside.

The cottage on the moors above Halifax in West Yorkshire was being renovated when the builder accidentally broke a mains drainage pipe while digging a channel for a new one.

Land pipes – drainage pipes with small perforated holes in them where water flows in from the fields – feed into this mains pipe to avoid water from the fields flooding the cottage.

This broken pipe meant water was gushing out and hitting the back of the cottage.

Plumber James Lucks from Huddersfield was working inside the cottage and immediately went into action to divert the floodwater using FloodSax alternative sandbags, using one to lift and support a temporary drainage pipe and prevent the water from backing up and damaging the cottage.

He said: “It’s all farmers’ fields at the back of the cottage and an awful lot of water comes off those fields which is why the land drains are needed to catch the water from the land and feed it into the mains drainage at the cottage. It’s like a spring when it’s dry but turns into a river when it’s raining.

“Once that drainage pipe was broken the water was pushing up against the back of the house so we used the FloodSax to divert it down a temporary drain while we repaired the broken one.

“It’s amazing how quickly water like this escapes and it was like working in a big pond to repair it.”

Plumbers and facilities managers are now using FloodSax sandless sandbags more and more as they are so versatile and easy to use.

The absorbent technology within FloodSax means they are as useful in their ‘dry’ state as they are when soaked in water to turn them into alternative sandbags.

FloodSax resemble large pillowcases before they come into contact with water and are ultra-thin which means they can be slipped into the most inaccessible places around homes and businesses to soak up water leaks.

It means drips and leaks can fall onto the material which then absorbs it, stopping it from leaking any further.

Facilities managers use them in commercial buildings to deal with leaking roofs, pipes and radiators and many plumbers now carry them as an essential part of their kit too.

It means in some cases they don’t need to drain the central heating system down to swap a radiator as the FloodSax soak up any water that comes out of the pipes.

James said: “I was called to replace a radiator recently and most of the time I’d need to drain down the entire central heating system to do it. Sometimes I’m able to slip FloodSax under the floorboards and below the pipe which means I’m able to just remove that radiator without draining the entire system. Any leaks that come out of the pipework during the operation go straight onto the FloodSax and are soaked up. It’s a massive time saver.

“That’s the beauty of the FloodSax – you can slip them into the tightest and seemingly most inaccessible places where you’ve no chance of getting a bucket and they’ll absorb any leaks and spills.

Five FloodSax fit into a nifty carrying bag that’s incredibly space-saving to store on vans and there are 80 FloodSax in a box that one person can easily carry.

To find out just how effective FloodSax are both outside and indoors go to http://www.floodsax.co.uk/