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NSW floods can damage properties at any time. Using sandbags to protect your home or business can help reduce damage. Here’s what you need to know.
If a storm or flood warning has been issued, your local council or SES unit will announce where sandbagging stations may be set up in your area. Check your local Council website or SES Unit Facebook page for information.
Hessian or similar bags for sandbagging can be purchased at Bunnings or your local hardware store. You will also need a sturdy pair of gloves.
Fill your hessian bags until two thirds filled with sand.
Dirt will turn to mud, so use sand only.
Wear gloves to do this. You can use your hands or a shovel.
Avoid overfilling the bags, as they can be too heavy to carry.
Leave the top of the bag empty and untied, as you will use this empty section of sandbag when laying them.
Take care when lifting sandbags as they can be heavy.
Lay sandbags like brickwork, stagger the rows so the joins do not line up.
When you lay one sandbag, flatten out the unfilled part of the bag and lay the next sandbag on top of it.
Tuck the unfilled flap under the last bag at the end of the row.
Flattening the top of the sandbag row before adding the next row will help the structure.
If the sandbag wall is going to be more than five sandbags high, you will need to lay it two rows wide.
Lay your sandbags across entrances like doorways and garage doors.
Create a small wall across doorways at least the height of the expected flood level. Be careful not to trap yourself inside.
If it is available, plastic sheeting may be used under sandbags to reduce seepage.
Place bags on top of drains in the home, for example showers, laundry and sinks, as well as in toilets, to help prevent the backflow of water.
Wear sturdy gloves when handling wet sandbags as they can contain chemicals, waste and diseases from floods.
Sandbags that have been in contact with flooding need to be thrown away.
Contact your local Council to find out how to dispose of used sandbags safely.
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