‘Douse My House’ springs from fires

When Clint Giles saw hundreds of homes being destroyed by recent wildfires in Central Texas he felt compelled to do something.

“People were standing out in the yard[s] where people were using their garden hose to hose down the house at the same time police were going through the neighborhood asking them to evacuate, so I thought their must be a better way,” said Giles.

The Dripping Springs resident believes he and his brother have come up with a solution with a product called “Douse My House” — an invention that started with a sprinkler, a hose and a little imagination.

“We came up with a handheld system that would allow even an 83-year-old woman to stand along the ground and reach up and attach it to her gutter,” said Giles. The product was designed to be quick and easy to install in minutes. The system blankets homes with water to reduce the chances of embers igniting a fire.

Giles believes it also provides families some peace of mind.

“My father-in -aw breathed a lot easier when he saw this up and running,” the inventor said.

While Giles admits his invention won’t guarantee that a home won’t burn, he’s convinced it can save homeowners precious time to focus on more important things.

“All of a sudden a brush fire is coming towards your neighborhood and you’ve got to make a decision — do you stand out in the yard and hose down your house?” asks Giles “Or do you go inside and get your family and valuables and pets all ready to evacuate? Obviously that’s the safer thing to do.”