InventThat.com has announced it is backing a system it says could prevent thousands of households and businesses from having to make flood damage insurance claims.
The Neptune Flood Defence System has been designed by Surrey-based Floodskirt and is claimed to be the only system that will protect buildings from both surface flooding and underground water.
The system comprises a flexible waterproof skirt housed in a fibreglass duct sunk into the ground around the building. The skirt is raised up to form a protective membrane when there is a risk of surface flooding.
The system also includes the `waterproofing' of the property below ground and the installation of pumps, valves and drains to prevent underground water seeping in.
Floodskirt has enlisted InventThat.com, an online resource which helps people make their inventions a reality, in its search for venture capital funding to support a sales campaign.
The companies believe there will be great demand for the product as insurers want to see greater use of flood prevention or reduction products because of the extent of flood damage claims in recent years.
In the last year alone UK flood damage claims have exceeded £950m.
Director Glyn Woodward, who developed the system with co-director Terry Blake, said: "There is a clearly a real need for a system like this, especially when there is a possibility that flood damage insurance cover may not be available. Sandbags and other ad-hoc solutions simply aren't up to the task. As far as we can see it will be the only thing on the market that will definitely stop a property from flooding."
