Enough sandbags and a tarp in the right spot can mean the difference between dry floors and waterlogged carpets. When well-placed, sandbags in front of your door can help keep minimal floodwaters and debris away from – and out of – your home. However, sandbags must be properly filled and set up to protect your house from water damage, so knowing how to sandbag a door is key. Here’s how to do it, courtesy of Hillsborough County.
Tips for filling sandbags
Without a sandbag machine, it takes two people to manually fill a sandbag. One person must hold the sandbag open while the other shovels sand into it. Keep this in mind if you go to a sandbag distribution site and need to fill your own bags. Sandbags will be easier to fill with the help of a friend.
Fill the sandbags halfway to two-thirds full. Do not overfill them. Doing so can create gaps in stacked rows of sandbags. Tie the tops of the bags so that the sandbags will lay flat when in place. If the sand is very dry, eye protection in the form of safety goggles may come in handy.
Related: Hurricane History in Tampa Bay
Setting up sandbags and tarp to divert water
Follow these steps to sandbag a door and ensure your home is protected as much as possible from flooding:
- Place a plastic tarp in front of the door you plan to divert flood water from. The tarp will serve as a liner. This is an essential step – the sandbags alone will not seal off or stop flood water.
- The tarp needs to reach higher than the height of the expected flood. It should also go under your row(s) of sandbags. The tarp should be affixed to the door and doorframe. You can use heavy-duty waterproof tape for this.
- Arrange the first row of sandbags horizontally across the entire doorway, making sure they are flush with the exterior of the house. Flatten the sandbags so they fit as tightly as possible against the exterior of the house and doorway.
- If more than one row is needed, stack the next row of sandbags on top of the first. Be sure to offset stacked rows by half a bag to prevent straight seams. Stagger them like rows of bricks in a wall. All rows of sandbags should be flush with the exterior of the house and door.
- Flatten the sandbags as you put them in place. You can do this by stepping on them. It’s important to stack the bags securely and to try to seal any cracks.
If a storm threatens, the County will announce sandbag distribution locations and times. The opening of distribution sites depends on a storm’s intensity and the direction of the storm.
