Patent Application
20220333370
The innovation is generally related to a vapor and water drainage system, and more specifically, to radon mitigation and water drainage in a basement or subterranean area.
Basements and other subterranean areas are often subject to water seepage through cracks in the foundation walls or the cement floor or slab. Water seepage that is not quickly and properly addressed can cause further damage to the property, such as attracting mold, which is often detrimental to the occupants. As well, basement/subterranean areas can also be subject to radon gas, which is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that exits in various geographic areas, and prolonged exposure to radon gas is known to be hazardous to occupants. In view of these detrimental effects, builders, contractors and home owners spend significant time and expenses to implement various systems and devices to help mitigate the harmful effects of water seepage and/or radon gas in a basement/subterranean area.
Referring to
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Two co-extruded resilient seals 46 extend along the bottom of the second horizontal section 42 to reduce flow of exterior wall water under the basement floor 14. Similarly, one or more rigid gussets 48, e.g., three gussets, extend rearwardly along the rear surface of the first vertical section 32 to provide small separation from the wall 16 or optional barrier layer 20. The gussets 48 block dirt and debris from rising from the joint 18, as well as channel overflow liquid between the gussets to the sump. Optionally, the barrier layer 20 is affixed to the sidewall 16 prior to installation of the drainage device 30 to provide a flat, smooth vertical surface area and help direct water seepage 8 and/or prevent radon gas from seeping through cracks and other openings that may exist in the foundation sidewall 16 of the basement 10. The underside of the horizontal section 34 and the second vertical section 40 of the drainage device 30 also forms a channel to enable the flow and drainage of water from the joint 18 along the sidewall 16 and beneath the slab 14, as best seen in
Other prior art drainage/ventilation devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,723 to Parker, which discloses a concrete slab and wall spacer with water and radon removal elements. The device includes a cross-sectional, L-shaped elongate strip of semi-rigid, non-biodegradable material. At least halfway up the entire elongate vertical leg of the L-shape may be a horizontally disposed projection which is integral with the strip. The spacer projection is placed against a wall, the L base resting on a portion of the footing subtended by the wall in a conventional spacer usage. A spacer may be provided for additional support of the L-shaped strip. This spacer is easily removable after the floating slab has set, or the spacer may be left in place for use as a decorative molding. Several applications for the strip are disclosed, one being the sealing of the shelf to the abutting wall with placement of a gas impermeable membrane in an overlapping arrangement with the L base so as to form, relative to the strip and the abutted wall, an upper fluid region and a lower gas region. The gas region is vented by a conduit which penetrates the projection, while the water in the upper liquid region is removed by other conventional methods, conceivably by through-the-wall conduits or a sump region built into or adjacent the footing.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,832,156 to Trotter discloses a condensation inhibition system for structural waterproofing a dwelling having a wall and a foundation. The wall has a first surface for defining an interior of the dwelling and an exterior in communication with graded soil. The waterproofing system further includes a waterproofing panel having a front vapor diffusion retarder portion, a back vapor diffusion retarder portion, and an insulator carried between the front portion and the back portion. Additionally, a collection channel is provided for collecting water entering into the dwelling from the exterior.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,544,219B1 to Janesky discloses a system adapted to remove radon gas and drainage liquid from a subterranean chamber or basement having a floor and an ambient environment. The system has a drainage channel forming a drainage portion and a venting portion. A valve is located between the drainage portion and the venting portion. Drainage liquid flows into the drainage portion and from the drainage portion through the valve into the venting portion. A pressure gradient is between the drainage portion and the venting portion. The valve substantially prevents the ambient environment from entering the venting portion while allowing drainage liquid to flow from the drainage portion into the venting portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,353,498B2 to Goldberg discloses a building envelope assembly including a first structural wall frame, a flexible sheet, a drain assembly, and a seal. The flexible sheet is disposed along a surface of the first structural wall frame. The flexible sheet configured to transport moisture along two opposing surfaces. The flexible sheet includes an upper portion and a bottom portion having a moisture wicking sheet. The drain assembly is configured to receive moisture from the flexible sheet. The seal is attached to the bottom portion of the flexible sheet and is configured to prevent ingress of water, water vapor, and air toward the upper portion of the flexible sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,443,204B2 to Clapper et al. discloses a system for a basement concrete form and drainage are disclosed. The system may include a lineal that is a horizontal concrete form or a footer for a wall and a basement floor. The lineal may include a rectilinear tubular structure having a cavity, an outer wall, and drain perforations in the outer wall to permit fluid transmission from the cavity to an exterior of the lineal. In addition, a retainer may be mounted to a stake for the basement concrete form when the stake is embedded in a formation underlying the lineal. The retainer may be selectively vertically positioned along the stake to adjust a height of the lineal relative to the underlying formation.
US publication no. US2006/0150551A1 to Bounds et al. discloses a water drainage device that includes multiple flow channels to allow water to bypass a clogged area of a flow channel. Preferably, one the flow channels is filtered to impede the build of particulate matter and sediment in the channel. The water drainage device includes a frame and a filter element. The frame has a first flow channel and a second flow channel. The first flow channel is positioned generally above the second flow channel. The first channel has an open end along its length.
US publication no. 2007/0044396A1 to Janesky discloses a drainage conduit system for an at least partially subterranean room having a floor over footings upon which a wall is provided. The system comprises a subfloor drain channel arranged to be disposed under the floor and over the footing when installed and a wall flashing adapted to be connected to the drain channel when installed, and having a back disposed for contacting the wall. When installed, the back of the wall flashing contacts the wall and the wall flashing is adjustably connected to the drain channel so that the wall flashing and the drain channel together define a drainage void with a selectably variable space extending away from the wall.
US publication no. 2008/0184660A1 to Forner et al. discloses a basement wall and floor system including a plurality of connected horizontally and vertically disposed panels. Each panel includes a metal C-channel defining an end thereof. Another metal C-channel defines an opposite end. A plurality of metal studs extends between the C-channels and fit between inside and outside flanges of the C-channels. A metal deck including an outwardly disposed facade and an inwardly disposed face is connected to the studs. Insulation is disposed on the facade side of the metal deck. A waterproofing material is disposed on the insulation.
US publication no. 2020/0270838A1 to Nowak discloses a vapor mitigation apparatus having a vertical securing piece configured to be affixed to a foundation wall proximate a footing that is supporting the foundation wall. The vertical securing piece has a first end located proximate to a footing and a second end. A horizontal foot is located at the first end of the securing piece and extends away from the securing piece. The horizontal foot is configured to rest against the footing. The apparatus also includes a mechanical clip located at the second end of the vertical securing piece and is configured to secure a piece of plastic sheeting.
The systems, devices and methods of the prior art are primarily used with new construction edifices and dwellings in which the drainage/ventilation systems are provided on the foundation footings below the cement slab. In older homes, installation of the prior art drainage/ventilation systems requires excavation of the slab near the foundation wall, such as shown in
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by a novel dual channel drain seal of the present invention. Advantageously, a novel dual channel drainage seal is provided for enclosing a joint between a slab and a foundation sidewall of a subterranean area. The drainage seal includes and lower channel and an upper channel stacked over the lower channel. The lower channel is affixed on top of the slab and against the sidewall to form and enclosed channel for retaining and routing radon and/or water seepage at the joint to a sump pit. The upper channel is open on top and configured to capture and route water seepage from the sidewall above to the sump for discharge, thereby protecting the interior portions of the slab from radon and water damage.
In one embodiment, a dual channel drainage seal for enclosing a joint between a slab and a foundation sidewall of a subterranean area comprises: a first vertical wall section having an outer surface configured for placement against the sidewall and an opposing inner surface; a second vertical wall section spaced-apart from the first vertical wall section and having an inner surface; a first horizontal wall section having a first end affixed to a lower portion of the inner surface of the first vertical wall section and a second end affixed to a mid-portion of the inner surface of the second vertical wall section; a second horizontal wall section affixed to a lower edge of the second vertical wall section, the second horizontal wall section being configured for placement against the slab; and wherein the second horizontal wall section, a lower portion of the second vertical wall section and a bottom surface of the first horizontal wall section collectively define a lower channel, and wherein an upper surface of the first horizontal wall section, a portion of the first vertical wall section which extends above the first horizontal wall section, and an inner surface of the second vertical wall section which extend above the first horizontal wall section collectively define an upper channel of the dual channel drainage seal.
In one aspect the lower channel is arranged over the joint to channel radon gas admitted through the joint away from the subterranean area. In another aspect, the lower channel is arranged over the joint to direct flow of liquids accumulating therein to a sump or discharge conduit. In still another aspect, the dual channel drainage seal is fabricated from polyvinylchloride material. In a further aspect, the outer surface of the first vertical wall section includes a plurality of protrusions. In yet another aspect, the bottom surface of the second horizontal wall section includes a plurality of protrusions. In still a further aspect, the first vertical wall section is perpendicular to the first horizontal wall section. In another aspect, the second vertical wall section is perpendicular to the second horizontal wall section. In yet another aspect, the second vertical wall section is perpendicular to the first horizontal wall section. In a further aspect, the first horizontal wall section is affixed to a lower edge of the first vertical wall section. In yet another aspect, the upper channel is positioned over the lower channel.
In another embodiment, an elongated dual channel drainage seal is provided for enclosing a joint between a slab and a foundation sidewall of a subterranean area. The dual channel drainage seal comprises: an upper drainage channel stacked over a lower drainage channel, the lower drainage channel having at least one sidewall configured to abut against the slab and form an enclosure between the slab and the foundation sidewall; and the upper channel having at least one sidewall configured to abut against the foundation sidewall, wherein the at least one sidewall forms a U-shaped channel having a top opening configured to collect water seepage through the foundation sidewall at height above the U-shaped channel.
To facilitate an understanding of the invention, identical reference numerals have been used, when appropriate, to designate the same or similar elements that are common to the figures. Further, unless stated otherwise, the features shown in the figures are not drawn to scale, but are shown for illustrative purposes only.
The present invention is a dual channel drainage seal for channeling water seepage and mitigating radon gas entry in a basement or subterranean area. The dual channel drainage seal is installed over a joint or trench formed at the joint at which the basement slab and the foundation sidewalls meet. A first lower channel effectively blocks the admittance of radon gas from the joint or trench and directs any radon gas entering the first lower channel outside of the basement or subterranean area. Additionally, the first lower channel diverts water seepage therein from the joint or trench to a sump or drainage conduit for discharge out of the basement or subterranean area. An upper channel of the drainage seal enables any water seepage from the foundation sidewall there-above to be routed into the sump or drainage conduit for discharge out of the basement or subterranean area, thereby protecting the slab and interior area of the basement or subterranean area undesirable water seepage and moisture.
The first horizontal wall section 110 is provided between the first and second vertical wall sections 102, 120 such that the first and second vertical wall sections 102 and 120 are parallel or substantially parallel to each other. The first horizontal wall section 110 has a first end 111 that is attached to the inner surface 106 of, and midway or at a lower portion between, the upper and lower edges 103, 105 of the first vertical wall section 102. An opposing second end 113 of the first horizontal wall section 110 is attached to the inner surface 122 of, and substantially midway between, the upper and lower edges 121,123 of the second vertical wall section 120. The positioning of the first horizontal wall section 110 is such that the bottom edge 105 of the first vertical wall section 110 is at a height above the bottom edge 123 of the second vertical wall section 120. The second horizontal wall section 130 is attached at the bottom edge 123 of the second vertical wall section 120 and extends inwardly in a direction towards the first vertical wall section 102. The first and second horizontal wall sections 102, 130 are preferably parallel or substantially parallel to each other. The second horizontal wall section 130 extends inwardly a distance suitable for affixing the drainage seal 100 to the top surface of the slab 10. For example, the second horizontal wall section 130 extends inwardly a distance of approximately midway of the first horizontal wall section 110, although such length is not considered limiting
The bottom surface 114 of the first horizontal wall section 110, a lower portion of the inner surface 122 of the second vertical wall section 120 which extends below the first horizontal wall section 110, and the top surface 134 of the second horizontal wall section 130 collectively form a lower channel 140 of the dual channel drainage seal 100. The lower channel 140 is fully closed when the dual channel drainage seal 100 is installed and secured on the slab 14 and sidewall 16, both of which form a part of the closed lower channel 140 Additionally, the inner surface 106 of the first vertical channel 102, the top surface 112 of the first horizontal wall section 110, and an upper portion of the inner surface 122 of the second vertical wall section 120 which extends above the first horizontal wall section 110 collectively form an upper channel 142 of the dual channel drainage seal 100.
In the novel embodiments shown in
The dual channel drainage seal 100 is preferably fabricated from a solid, elongated, water impermeable material such as polyvinylchloride (PVC) or other ridged and durable water impermeable material well-known in the art. The dual channel drainage seal 100 is preferably fabricated by extruded plastic molding or the wall sections can be welded together, among other well-known fabrication techniques and processes. Similarly, dual channel corner sections 1102, as illustratively shown in
Referring to
Although the lower and upper channels 140, 142 are preferably depicted as being rectangular in shape as formed by the vertical and horizontal walls 102, 110, 120, 130 positioned at or substantially at right angles to each other, such shape is not considered limiting, as the drain seal 100 can be curvilinear in shape. For example, the first horizontal wall section 110 can be curved, e.g., concave in shape from a top view perspective of the drain seal 100 to collect any seepage through the wall 16 thereabove, and/or the second vertical wall 120 can have a rounded and/or curvilinear shape. Moreover, the first vertical wall section 102 and second horizontal wall section 130 can be customized to conform to a specific shape of a slab 10 and/or foundation wall 16, as required.
Referring now to
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During installation, the slab 14 and lower sidewall 16 areas around the trench 15 are cleaned to eliminate any loose debris, particles and dust. One or more beads of a water-impermeable sealant, e.g., silicon, is run along the lengths of the outer surface 104 of the first vertical wall section 102 and the bottom surface 132 of the second horizontal wall section 130. The beads of sealant are run between the protrusions 146 and 148 and have a thickness slightly larger than the depth of the protrusions 146, 148. The dual channel drainage seal 100 is then positioned over the trench such that the bottom surface 132 of the second horizontal wall section 130 is seated on the slab 14 and the outer surface 104 of the first vertical wall section 102 is seated against the lower sidewall 16. Pressure is applied to the dual channel drainage seal 100 having downward force component and a horizontal force component to provide an uninterrupted and complete seal against the slab 14 and sidewall 16. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the sealant can instead be applied directly to the slab 14 and the wall 16. Then the dual channel drainage seal 100 is positioned over the trench and the appropriate pressure forces are manually applied to the dual channel drainage seal to create a permanent seal against the slab 14 and the wall 16. Once the dual channel drainage seal 100 is properly positioned and set, the sealant is then allowed to cure and dry without further movement or disturbance.
Referring now to
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In any of the illustrative basement arrangements, the novel dual channel drainage seal 100, 600 can further include a water and vapor monitoring system 1200 to provide an alarm/alert if a gas/water leak occurs. Referring to
The dual channel drain seal 100, 600 helps prevent radon from entering between the joint 18 between the sidewalls 16 and slab 14 of a basement or subterranean area 10. As well, any seepage of water at the joint 18, which may be due to excessive hydrostatic pressure from the water table below the slab 18, is retained within the lower channel 140 and routed to a sump pit 25 for collection and controlled discharge out of the basement 10. Thus, the lower channel 140 of the dual channel drain seal helps control gas and water seepage through the joint 18 between the sidewalls 16 and slab 14 of a basement or subterranean area 10. Installing the dual channel drain seal facilitates drainage of leaks at the joint and sidewall to a sump or other drainage area to help prevent mold and mildew from forming in the basement areas, especially behind a finished wall, which is often difficult to detect. Advantageously, the dual channel drain seal 100, 600 is installed on top of the slab 14 or within the trench 15 formed within the slab, thereby eliminating the need to fully breakup and excavate the slab at the joint area 18. Further, the upper channel 142 collects any water seepage through the sidewall of the basement and also routes such fluid to the sump 25 for collection and discharge out of the basement 10.
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present innovation, other and further embodiments and advantages of the innovation can be envisioned by those of ordinary skill in the art based on this description without departing from the basic scope of the innovation, which is to be determined by the claims that follow.
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/177,146 filed on Apr. 20, 2021, the content of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63177146 | Apr 2021 | US |
