Sandbags have been the norm when it comes to keeping floodwaters out of your home. But a pillow-like device could be all the protection you need.
"It looks like an airline pillow. Weighs a pound dry, but it expands to almost 45 pounds," said Bruce Brenner with FloodSax.
FloodSax is a relatively new product designed to replace traditional Sandbags.
"With these, regardless of your age, your weight, or your strength, you can deploy these in a matter of minutes and actually protect your structures," Brenner said.
Brenner says homeowners now have access to flood protection that they didn't have before.
"The average homeowner doesn't have access to sand, can't lift a 50-pound sandbag. But these, anyone can lift a one-pound pillow," Brenner said. "Five pallets of this product is equal to 120 pallets of full sandbags."
Brenner tells us to activate the FloodSax, just get them wet and watch them expand.
"Once the polymer is activated, it traps and suspends the water within the polymer. So it doesn't leak or drip, forming a completely waterproof barrier," Brenner said.
Just let the pillow sit in water for a few minutes until they expand. Then you're ready to deploy them, placing them along entrance ways and areas where rising water could enter your home.
After the waters recedes, Brenner says disposing FloodSax is simple.
"Once you slice open the sack, it looks like snow, like wet snow. And you can spread that snow out on the grass and the shrubs, and the material will biodegrade. The plants will go ahead and absorb the moisture content as well," he said.
But Brenner tells us if FloodSax absorb floodwaters with harmful toxins, you'll have to dispose of them in a different manner, as you would with any toxic material.
FloodSax can be a bit costly -- $269 for a case of 20. However, they are guaranteed to last a minimum of five years in dry storage. One case can replace up to 900 pounds of sandbags.
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