FAQ

The Moderna series is particularly appreciated for this advantage. It requires an opening with smooth, linear, and orthogonal jambs and sills, with a permissible tolerance for irregularities. If these conditions are met, the door can be installed by resting it against the frame of a protruding window or door, without any additional metal profiles. The unique and original MODERNA essence has passed safety testing without relying on any rear frame, and therefore does not require this feature in the opening.

This is a question that may not have a satisfactory answer if you’ve never experienced flooding. If you have already experienced flooding, we recommend that you purchase one that is at least 10–20 cm taller than the flood level you experienced, because the general consensus is that severe weather events—in terms of both frequency and intensity—are on the rise. The Basin Engineer has mapped out some areas with flood predictions, although these may not be entirely reliable. The Rapid team recommends not buying them any higher than a manhole cover or a floor drain; no higher than the shower drain, which is usually 5 cm from the floor; no higher than an outdoor electrical outlet, which is about 20 cm from the sidewalk; no higher than any natural gas vent in the kitchen, which is about 30 cm from the floor; no higher than the toilet and bidet, which usually have their tops 40 cm from the floor; no higher than the sink, which is usually between 80 and 100 cm from the floor; and no higher than the window sill, which is usually about 100 cm from the floor. RAPID MANUFACTURES DEVICES TO BLOCK ALL THE ACCESS POINTS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND ALLOWS YOU TO PLACE A BARRIER OR PARTITION IN FRONT OF THE DOOR IN THE HEIGHT AND STYLE OF YOUR CHOICE, AND MUCH MORE.

The correct response is to ask to see a photo of the test under the same conditions in which you received the device’s test certificate from the certifying body. This way, we can identify any incorrect claims—which we sometimes hear from retailers of other companies. Only RAPID’s MODERNA essence partition—which, thanks to its patented hooked side fins, rests against the outer walls of the compartment to withstand water pressure—requires no additional support. All other devices on the market bear only a distant resemblance to the patents of the Moderna line, and this is evident from the lesser force required to extend it and compress its seals—which are rectangular in shape and provide greater support against the shoulders compared to semicircular ones—and thanks to the primary patent for the central pivot, our Moderna is NOT as hard to compress as the others, allowing many users to compress them with just one finger—a feat that is unattainable for the others.

A flood barrier, also known as a floodgate, is a protective safety device designed to shield buildings from water intrusion during heavy rainfall or flooding. These barriers, typically made of aluminum, steel, or high-strength composite materials, are placed in front of building entrances—such as doors and windows—to create an effective seal against high water and heavy rain. Their main advantage lies in how quickly they can be deployed and removed: in an emergency, each one can be set up in just a few seconds, securing the interior of living or working spaces. This is where Rapid has always made a difference. Some devices take minutes to set up, but not Rapid’s. Rapid also seals off all other access points that other systems cannot, including restrooms.

RAPID flood protection devices have demonstrated exceptional reliability in safety tests conducted at Istituto Giordano S.p.A. and TÜV SÜD Italia srl, even when simulating extreme flood levels. For example, we are the only company in Italy to have tested a monolithic barrier 5 meters wide by 1 meter high in a single piece, confirming our leadership in innovative design while maintaining high safety standards. This result attests to the high quality of a product designed to withstand even the most demanding conditions, effectively protecting residential, commercial, manufacturing, and even industrial environments. It is important, however, to raise awareness and ensure understanding that regulations include certain tolerances and, consequently, allow for the passage of water droplets, even though this is not mandatory.

All Rapid devices—barriers, flood barriers, sanitary shut-offs, air and electrical outlet shut-offs, crawl space shut-offs, manhole covers, and drain covers—are made exclusively to order in Italy by our team of specialized technicians, who pay close attention to every detail to ensure customized solutions of the highest safety quality. Thanks to our in-house production process, we can ensure maximum control over material selection, design, and the best installation method, offering reliable and highly durable flood protection.

All RAPID devices stand out from other flood-protection solutions due to several key features, including exceptional maneuverability and ease of use, which allow even a single person to set up barriers up to 3 meters long—thanks to our patents, which make them easier, safer, and more reliable. These innovations ensure effective protection; some devices are also height-adjustable, some are transparent, and nearly all can be locked, making them ideal for any type of environment—whether residential, commercial, or industrial.

Most RAPID flood barriers are made of aluminum, making them lightweight and easy to handle; however, we also manufacture some fully enclosed barriers made of transparent material, using the lightest possible type that is still capable of withstanding hydraulic pressure. Thanks to their light weight and patented systems, they can be quickly installed and removed without complications or effort. This feature makes our RAPID barriers ideal for those seeking safe and practical solutions capable of providing flood protection in a wide range of situations.

Taking measurements and installing the barrier requires specific skills and know-how; it must be performed properly to ensure the full effectiveness of the safety waterproof seal. For this reason, taking measurements and installing the barrier yourself is strongly discouraged—especially because if a municipal agency or insurance companies were to later request certification, a “do-it-yourself” installation would not be accepted. By contacting a Rapid Partner anywhere in the world, you can obtain a device that is not only the correct size and shape but can also be installed in compliance with regulations, ensuring optimal performance and long-term safety protection.

We offer several product lines to meet all architectural needs.

The price of a single barrier depends on its size, the characteristics of the room, and the type of installation, if any. To get a personalized quote, contact us: we’ll carefully analyze your needs, assess the specific conditions, and our partner will propose the solution best suited to your needs. We can tell you right away that it costs much less than the damage caused by flooding. Not everyone knows that a 10-centimeter flood exerts 100 kg of pressure on the floor grout, causing water to penetrate the subfloor; when the floodwaters recede, the tiles act as a lid over the water, which will remain trapped in the subfloor for decades and will be slowly released into the air as moisture; this moisture, combining with the air, will create a very humid and persistent microclimate that can last for decades. Using a dehumidifier can capture excess moisture in the air, but it cannot dry out the moisture in the subfloor, and the cost to restore the original condition by tearing it all out can exceed 100 euros per square meter!

For any information on possible tax breaks, please contact one of our partners for more details. In ITALY, we would like to inform you that, unfortunately, the Emilia-Romagna tax authority does not accept any requests for tax deductions unless there is a fixed fixture on the wall. If irregularities are found during an audit by the tax authority, in addition to any fines, you will be required to repay all other deductions you have claimed, which will be voided, and any future requests will be denied.

RAPID has an extensive network of installation partners and resellers in Europe and in 18 countries across the world on all 5 continents, who are constantly kept up to date on our latest products by our team—and who can also ask our team for advice on more specialized installations. Contact us by email—for ITALY at [email protected] and for the rest of the WORLD at [email protected]—and we’ll direct you to the RAPID partner professional nearest you.

Rapid is the only manufacturer to provide a complete seal—both opaque and, for certain openings, transparent—for doors, windows, basement windows, manhole covers, floor drains, and plumbing fixtures (toilet; bidet; sink; shower drain; bathtub), outdoor electrical outlets and air vents, crawl spaces, and so on, using its various easy-to-use, patented devices.

Any Rapid Device is the fastest to install compared to a similar device; some can be installed in as little as 2", a true record in the field of flood barriers—also known as anti-flood, anti-water, or anti-overflow barriers.

All devices worldwide that have elastic (rubber) gaskets should be installed only when necessary, to prevent unnecessary wear and tear and because compressed gaskets can, as they say in the trade, “set in place,” and after a while may no longer seal as effectively as they did at first. For these reasons, they should be installed only when necessary before a weather alert and should be removed and stored properly once the weather emergency has ended.

The gaskets are made of a soft material and are therefore fragile. If the device is stored properly after use, the gaskets can last up to several decades. Rapid is the only manufacturer in the world to ship its most popular devices (the Click and Moderna lines) in a heavy-duty PVC fabric bag as outer packaging. By reusing this bag and placing the barrier or bulkhead inside it every time you store it, you keep the gaskets protected from light, thereby extending their lifespan. When they eventually need to be replaced, simply ask your Rapid Partner for the gasket by providing the serial number—which only Rapid laser-engraves on all its devices. Every Rapid Partner has access to a video tutorial on how to replace them, which explains the method and the tricks of the trade. If, for various reasons, the Rapid Partner is unable to replace the gasket, subject to prior agreement, the end customer may pack the bulkhead or barrier, place it in the recovered packaging bag, and ship it for replacement. It should be noted that when the device is stored due to non-use, it must remain suspended in the air so that the gaskets are not compressed.