Patent ID: 7546710

Claim:
An apparatus to protect an aperture of a building which aperture has a periphery, the apparatus acting to at least substantially hinder water from penetrating said aperture, the apparatus comprising: a barrier housing removably fixable to at least a portion of the periphery of the aperture; a barrier member sealingly engageable with said housing to provide a means for deterring floodwater from entering the building through said aperture, said barrier member comprising a relatively rigid panel and having upper and lower surfaces, wherein said barrier member is hollow and includes at least one strengthening member and wherein at least one strip of sealing material is provided along at least one of said upper and lower surfaces of said barrier member to increase the water resistant properties of the apparatus and wherein said barrier member includes a flange to retain said at least one strip of sealing material; and compression means for urging said barrier member into sealing engagement with said barrier housing.