Sandbags, in pouring rain and potential flood situations, become vitally important. For the rest of the year, Sand Bags may be items rarely thought of, but if you have a home or a business in an area prone to flooding, then you will be glad of their existence at certain times throughout the year. And, sadly, as it looks like flooding is set to become more commonplace throughout the UK with summer floods as well as traditional winter ones starting to make more of an impact into our lives.

But if you have just moved to an area prone to flooding or just bought a business and you are thinking about flood prevention and flood proofing your premises, you may not have the first idea where to start when it comes to Sandbags.

Anyone who has ever seen pictures and photographs of a flood will have seen Sandbags in action. But until it becomes time for you to stock up on them yourself, they are something just not really considered in depth, more an item in the background.

So, where do Sandbags come in useful? They are basically fairly crude flood defences that can be used to block up any gaps where floodwater may seep in. This can include under and around doors and windows, and in front of airbricks.

The availability of local Sandbags will depend on the area you live in. Some local councils, usually ones that are used to floods, will issue Sandbags to local residents and even businesses if they are in areas prone to flooding. But most will not, and then you will need to source them yourself. It is always better to have Sandbags stored and ready for use rather than having to rush around and make inadequate ones when a flood warning is issued and the waters are imminent. And, if there is high demand for Sandbags, as there usually would be during a flood warning, then the council may run out of Sandbags. In addition, if you do not have Sandbags stored at home and rely on the local council, they may not be able to get to you because of flooding already blocking roads. For these reasons, it makes sense to stock up on Sandbags BEFORE flood warnings, not wait until it may be too late.

The Sand Bags should keep out the floodwater, providing the sandbags are full enough, But once Sandbags have been used and wet with floodwater, it is wise to throw them away and invest in new ones for next time. This is because the sand or earth will become contaminated with the water and anything that is in it, which can, and often will be, sewage. So, for safety reasons, they need to be discarded and new Sandbags bought.

In flooding situations, Sandbags, which previously may have just been one of those items in the background, could prove to save a lot of money and heartache. In fact, if you live in an area prone to flooding, these simple bags of sand could well turn out to be the best investment of your life.