Year after year, people lose homes and various properties to flood waters during rainy seasons and storms. But one Malaysian shared a clever hack after keeping the house safe from flood waters – and it seems to really work!
Malaysian Posts Clever Hack for Keeping House from Floods
Asians are somewhat ‘seasoned’ in terms of dealing with floods and calamities, no thanks to the many storms that pass through the region every year.
What’s sad is that there are areas that are more prone to flooding and get more than their fair share of storms every year. But people in the area learn to adapt. One of them is Radzi Ghani, a ‘seasoned flood veteran.’
Photo credit: Radzi Ghani
He’s experienced many floods for the past 10 years that he decided to find a way to solve the problem so he won’t have to deal with so many clean-ups after the incident.
Based on his clever hack, here are the things that you’ll need to flood-proof your house:
- Plastic sheet from hardware stores (because they are thick and cheap)
- Bricks or something heavy to hold the ‘fort’ in place (estimate the places where water might enter and buy the bricks accordingly)
- Plasticine (jelly-like modeling material) to close off all the gaps between the door and the floor so that the water doesn’t come through
- Wiring tape
- Water pump (just in case your makeshift fort has been “invaded” by water)
To build your makeshift fort, follow these steps:
- Create the ‘shield’ outside the doors.
- Tape the plastic sheet to the wall or make sure that it’s setup as close to the wall as possible
- Construct the fort using the bricks or other heavy materials that won’t float with the waters
- Enter your house through a window so you wouldn’t disturb your fort
- Inside, put the plasticine to cover the gaps between the doors and the floor
- Cover the plasticine with tape
- If the flood waters seep through the fort, you can use the submersible pump to get it out
It won’t work for all floods, especially if the flood waters are fast and could sweep away your fort or if the waters are too high that it would enter through your windows. But it may still save your valuables if the waters aren’t too high.
“Alhamdulillah it works 90% of the time and can lower the risk of damage towards your property. You won’t need to clean up as much after the flood recedes as well,” Radzi proudly claims.
Flood Prevention Tips
Unfortunately, many floods can’t be prevented, but here are some tips to prevent the flood risks:
- Keep the sewer systems, canals, and pipes clean and clear of trash
- Clean clogged gutters
- If possible, try to avoid buying property or building your house in low-lying areas and near rivers
- Raise your house so that the lowest floor is above the usual flood levels