Patent Publication Number: US-6904723-B1

Title: Waterproofing and humidity control system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a system for preventing water from seeping into a building and for controlling humidity in a basement of a building, and in particular relates to a waterproofing and humidity control system for a house. 
   The seepage of water into a building has been a problem which constantly plagues the construction industry. This has been a problem for buildings which have basements as well as buildings built on a slab. In particular, the seepage problem has plagued buildings having a below-ground foundation wall. 
   It is known that the foundation wall of a building is most often made from hollow concrete blocks or poured concrete. With blocks, water is able to pass from the exterior surrounding ground of the building through cracks, holes, natural pores, etc. in the block into hollow cavities of the block and thence to the basement floor. Even if the foundation wall is made from solid blocks or poured concrete, water may seep into the basement through cracks and by capillary action. 
   Numerous drainage systems and methods have been developed. In one known system, drain tiles having holes therein for receiving water are located around the outside perimeter of a building, namely, around the outside perimeter of the basement floor and in a deep trench at or below the level of the footer. The drain tiles form a pipe line which directs water to a storm or sanitary sewer. After a period of time, the drain tiles become non-functioning due to collapsing, blockage, separation, etc., and water accumulates at the bottom of the foundation wall, with a resultant build-up of hydrostatic pressure. This water then seeps through cracks, holes, pores, etc. in the foundation wall and into the basement. To correct this problem, the drain tiles must be replaced. 
   Another system includes a trench formed along the inside of a foundation wall next to the footer and beneath the basement floor or the like. Perforated drain tiles are placed in the trench and form a pipe line which directs water to a storm or sanitary sewer. The drain tiles are surrounded by gravel. Drainage openings are provided in the bottom portion of the foundation wall beneath the basement floor. The water flows through these openings into the gravel and to the drain tiles from which the water flows into a sewer. Such a system relies on the water to drain downwardly through the concrete blocks. 
   Furthermore, as a result of water seepage in the basement of a building, humidity and excess moisture may occur which can cause problems such as cracking of foundations, deterioration of building materials and insulation. Other disadvantages of high humidity include the growth of mold, more noticeable odors (a musty smell) and staining when condensation occurs on walls and floors. In addition, high humidity can affect the health of the occupants of the building. 
   Humidity is vaporized water in air. Relative humidity is the percentage of water vapor in air at a specific temperature compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air is capable of holding at that temperature. The construction of a house influences how much humidity is desirable. Tightly constructed buildings with properly installed vapor barriers and tight fitting doors and windows retain more heat and moisture. A mechanical ventilation system is particularly useful in this environment. If a home does not have the proper mechanical ventilation, excess water vapor can move through walls and ceilings, causing wet insulation, peeling paint, mold and structural damage. 
   It thus would be desirable to provide a system which minimizes the above-identified problems in the prior art and handles water buildup beneath the building, directs water and moisture away from the foundation and controls the humidity level within the basement of the building. 
   Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new and improved waterproofing and humidity control system which would overcome the foregoing deficiencies and others while meeting the above-stated needs and providing better and more advantageous overall results. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a new and improved waterproofing and humidity control system. More specifically, the waterproofing and humidity control system is used to minimize seepage of water and moisture into a home and reduce the level of humidity in the basement of the home. 
   The present invention may also be applied to different types of building structures, for example, ones having a below-ground poured concrete foundation, a below-ground concrete block foundation, or even those built on a slab. The system of the present invention is extremely effective in minimizing seepage of water into a building and lowering humidity. 
   More particularly according to one aspect of the present invention, a waterproofing and humidity control system for a building includes a first drain member located in a first trench provided in ground beneath a floor of the building. A suction fan and motor assembly is located within a motor and fan housing which is positioned within the building. A first conduit communicates with the first trench and the motor and fan housing. The motor and fan housing comprises a suction air inlet and an exhaust air outlet spaced from the inlet. The suction air inlet communicates with the first trench and with air within the building and the exhaust air outlet communicates with atmosphere. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, a humidity control system according to the present invention includes a suction fan and motor assembly located within a motor and fan housing positioned within a building. The motor and fan housing comprises a suction air inlet communicating with the building and an exhaust air outlet communicating with atmosphere. A pair of spaced apart conduits communicate with the suction air inlet of the motor and fan housing. The pair of conduits also communicate with a trench located within a perimeter of the building. An exhaust vent housing is spaced from the motor and fan housing and is mounted to a wall of the building. The vent housing has an air inlet and an air outlet and communicates with atmosphere. A duct communicates with the motor and fan housing exhaust air outlet and the air inlet of the vent housing wherein the duct is located within the building. 
   According to still another aspect of the present invention, a waterproofing and humidity control system for a building comprises a first drain member located in a first trench provided in ground beneath a basement floor of the building and a suction fan and motor assembly located within a motor and fan housing that is positioned adjacent the floor of the building. A first conduit, which communicates with the trench and the motor and fan housing, can extend through the building floor. An exhaust vent is mounted to the building and spaced apart from the motor and fan housing. The motor and fan housing suction air inlet communicates with the first conduit and with air within the building. A duct communicates with an air inlet of the exhaust vent and the exhaust air outlet of the motor and fan housing. 
   Still other aspects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may take form in certain components and structures, preferred embodiments of which will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a building having a below-grade foundation wall with a waterproofing and humidity control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention applied thereto; 
       FIG. 1A  is a side elevational view of the humidity control system according to another embodiment a of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged side elevational view of a motor and fan housing of the humidity control system of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an adapter conduit which can be used with the humidity control system of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of a humidity control system of  FIG. 1A ; and, 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged side elevational view of a humidity control system in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting same,  FIG. 1  shows a waterproofing and humidity control system A according to one embodiment of the present invention. This system is used with new construction buildings or homes. The waterproofing system A is used with a foundation wall  10  which is supported on a footer  12 . A first, outside trench  14  is excavated to a shallow depth beneath the ground level next to the outside surface of the wall  10 . Usually, the trench is not less than 18 inches deep, not less than 14 inches wide, and not greater than about three feet deep. 
   The trench  14  is dug at an angle to the horizontal to provide for flow of water in the tile. Thus, cumbersome deep excavation is unnecessary. The trench may be dug manually and it is unnecessary for a workman to work in a deep, narrow trench. A layer of gravel  20  is placed in the trench. The gravel is preferably a washed river bed gravel size #57. 
   A waterproofing sealing membrane  16  provided around the perimeter of the trench  14 . The membrane  16  is preferably constructed from a minimum 4 mil visqueen or a comparable rubberized material. 
   A first drain tile  22  for draining water is then placed in the trench. The drain tile may take a variety of forms. For example, the drain tile may be corrugated perforated flexible pipe, plastic perforated pipe sections, etc. If pipe sections are used, the individual pipe sections or drain tiles  22  are placed in the trench and secured together by known connectors to form a pipe line. 
   After the drain tile  22  is placed in the trench, the trench is filled with additional gravel  20  to cover the tile. The gravel size is large enough that it does not clog the openings in the drain tile. The gravel protects the tile from dirt and allows water to flow therethrough to the tile. The gravel  20  may be covered by a perforated plastic sheet  24  which can have, for example, 18 holes per square foot, and the trench may be back filled with a backfill  26  of earth. Because of the perforated plastic sheet and gravel, dirt is not readily able to penetrate and clog the drain tile. Also, this arrangement blocks water from contact with the building base such as a slab or a foundation wall. 
   A second, inside trench  28  is formed adjacent an inside surface of the wall  10  next to the footer  12 . Trench  28  is thus located within a perimeter of the building which is formed by wall  10  and footer  12 . A gravel bed  30  (such as size #57 river gravel) is laid and drain tile  32  is placed in the inside trench  28 . These tiles, if individual pipe sections, are secured together by known connectors to form a pipe line. The respective pipe lines formed by the drain tiles  22  and  32  are inclined to the horizontal to provide for free flow of water through the lines. 
   The drain tiles  32  are also covered with gravel  30 . The gravel  30  fills the trench  28  and forms a layer on a portion  34  of a top surface  36  of the footer  12  which is located inside the foundation wall  10 . The top layer of the gravel can be covered with cement forming a basement floor or base  40 . This cement can be a topping cement mix specifically formulated to provide at least 7,000 psi at 2 inches in thickness. 
   A liner  42  is mounted between the wall  10  and the footer  12 . The liner  42  extends upwardly from the top surface of the footer  12  to slightly above a top surface of the base  40 . 
   The walls  10 , especially if they are foundation walls (conventionally made from hollow blocks), may have openings or weep holes at the bottom thereof to facilitate water flow to the inside drain tiles. The water flows through the openings to the drain tiles and therefrom to a storm sewer system. The liner  42  may have notches for conducting water which flows through weep holes in the bottom of the wall  10  into the gravel. The liner may allow airflow from the blocks to aid in proper ventilation and reduce water content in the block pores. The liner may also serve as a conduit for conducting water from the openings in the wall to the inside tiles. The liner also keeps weep holes in the wall free of gravel or concrete that could block them. 
   The drainage system of  FIG. 1  operates as follows. Surface water outside the building flows into the first trench  14 , the gravel  20 , and through openings in the drain tile  22 . This water flows through the drain tile into a storm sewer system (not shown), to a drywell sized to properly drain the collected water, or to surface, if the surrounding grade slopes away at an acceptable rate. The tiles  22  located in the shallow trench outside the building provide for drainage of almost all surface water. Water flows into the gravel and through openings in the drain tile. Additionally, a small amount of water may build up from beneath the building base. This water flows into the drain tile  32  located beneath the base in the second trench  28 . This water flows through the drain tile and is pumped by a sump pump (not shown) into the storm sewer system, or to surface, depending on conditions and local building codes. This system minimizes hydrostatic pressure underneath the concrete base  40  of the house, seals the outside surface of the wall  10 , and minimizes any hydrostatic pressure that may accumulate at the outside of the base of the foundation. 
   Due to water seepage into the basement of the building, high humidity and excess moisture occurs which can cause problems such as cracking of the building foundation, structural damage, mold and mildew and may affect the health of the occupants of the building. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , a humidity control system is provided to reduce the amount of humidity in the basement of the building. The humidity control system includes a motor and fan housing  50  which houses a motor and fan assembly  51 . The housing is positioned in the building. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the housing can be positioned adjacent the basement floor  40  of the building. However, the housing may also be positioned adjacent the ceiling of the basement or in other desired locations. 
   The fan of the fan and motor housing can be rated at about 177 cubic feet per minute (cfm) and have a noise level of about 48 decibels (db). In other words, a very quiet fan is used so as not to disturb occupants in the building. According to another embodiment, the fan can have a variable speed in order to have an output of anywhere from 100 to 300 cfm. The speed would be controlled by a speed selector knob (not illustrated). In yet a third embodiment, the fan speed can be varied anywhere from 0 to 250 cfm. The fan speed may need to be varied depending upon the amount of square feet in the basement. It is anticipated that at around 150 to 200 cfm, the system of the present invention can handle approximately 1300 square feet of basement floor surface, that is a basement of about 35 feet by 35 feet. The cfm rating is to ensure an enhanced airflow from the basement. The fan is typically of a conventional cage and barrel design. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the motor and fan housing has a suction air inlet  52  and an exhaust air outlet  54  which is spaced from the inlet. The suction air inlet communicates with the air within the building basement and draws the air into the motor and fan housing and exhausts it from the building through the exhaust air outlet. The suction air inlet can include a plurality of louvers  55 . The suction air inlet also is in communication with a conduit or hose  56  which extends into the motor and fan housing through an opening  58  in the motor and fan housing adjacent the suction air inlet. The conduit  56  communicates with the trench  28  and with the motor and fan housing suction air inlet. The opening in the fan and motor housing for the first conduit or hose can be for a ⅜ inch inner diameter hose nipple. 
   A nipple can be placed on both opposite sides of the motor and fan housing and each can be on the order of about one inch long. As shown in  FIG. 4 , a second conduit or hose  60  may be provided on an opposite side of the motor and fan housing through a second opening  62 . Each conduit or hose is attached or inserted in a corresponding nipple so that suction occurs through the two hoses. 
   Hoses  56  and  60  are used to control humidity in the basement by extracting humidity or moisture from the trench  28 . By reducing the humidity in trench  28 , the entry of humid air from the trench into the basement is minimized, thus reducing humidity in the basement, and minimizing moisture damage, odors, etc. in the basement. 
   With reference again to  FIG. 1 , the humidity system further includes an exhaust opening  64  which is located within a wall of the building spaced from the motor and fan housing. The exhaust opening can be located above the motor and fan housing. The exhaust opening further includes a housing  66  having a plurality of louvers or vents  67  on an outside surface. The housing can be formed from a suitable conventional plastic material such as polypropylene. Opposite the vents  67  of the housing  66  is inlet  68 . The vents  67  can be formed in a cover  70  of the housing  66 . 
   A third conduit  72  communicates with the air inlet of the housing  66  and the exhaust air outlet of the motor and fan housing. The third conduit  72  can be an elongated duct which extends vertically within or on a wall of the building. The duct can be formed of conventional plastic material. Alternatively, the housing  66 , the duct  72  and motor and fan housing  50  can also be made of a suitable conventional metal. As seen in  FIG. 4 , the duct can extend between and along the longitudinal axis of two spaced apart and parallel joists  74 ,  76  of a finished wall. Braces  75 ,  77  can extend across the joists to provide lateral support. Of course if the basement room is unfinished, the third conduit can simply be located adjacent the concrete blocks of a typical basement wall. 
   The duct is typically no more than 13.5 inches wide. The thickness of the duct typically ranges from 2½–3 inches maximum. In the second embodiment of  FIGS. 1A and 4 , the duct comprises a first portion  78  and second portion  80 . The first portion  78  has a larger outer dimension than the outer dimension of the second portion. The second portion is thus slidably received in an opening  82  of the first portion adjacent a flange  84 . The second portion  80  is thus adjustable in relation to the first portion to accommodate different basement heights. The height of the duct can range from 60 inches to about 102 inches by simply sliding the second portion with respect to the first portion. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an adapter conduit  100  can be provided between the motor and fan housing and the third conduit or duct  72 . The adapter conduit is used in a situation where the humidity control system is installed in a home with a finished basement wall. The adapter conduit has a first portion  102  and a second portion  104  wherein the first portion is offset from the second portion. The adapter conduit offset allows the front of the vertical wall duct  72  to be approximately one inch behind a back edge of the motor and fan housing exhaust air outlet  54 . The adapter conduit fits on top of the fan housing and then is connected to the wall duct allowing the wall duct to be placed between the joists or studs while the motor and fan housing is positioned or sits in front of the studs. The fan housing exhaust air outlet is aligned with an opening  106  in the second portion  104  and the third conduit or duct  72  is aligned with an opening  108  of the first portion  102 . 
   If the humidity control system is used with an unfinished wall, the adapter conduit is not needed and the duct may extend from the motor fan housing and be abutted against the wall of the basement. As shown in  FIG. 5 , a third embodiment of the humidity control system includes a duct  110  which extends along the longitudinal axis of the basement wall and is located adjacent the concrete blocks of the basement wall  10 . The duct  110  extends from the motor fan housing  50  to the exhaust opening housing  66 . 
   The waterproofing and humidity control system of the present invention reduces moisture in the basement, as well as the rest of the house, together with mold and mildew. This has numerous advantageous. Moisture can cause allergy problems by encouraging dust mites, dry rot and insects. It can also cause mold spores which may pose serious health risks. As is known, hazardous mold and mildew can make any space unusable. Also, the waterproofing and humidity control system of the present invention will remove, or minimize, vapors and odors from household chemicals such as cleaning supplies, paints, solvents, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, odors, formaldehyde, from pressed wood furniture, carpeting and building materials. Conventional dehumidifiers do not have such capabilities. 
   Moreover, the system according to the present invention will remove combustion products such as carbon monoxide, nitric oxides, unburned fuels, carbon dioxide, soot and moisture from the conventional basement furnace of a building. In addition, it can remove tobacco smoke from the building. This will prove beneficial to occupants of the building that would otherwise be exposed to second-hand smoke which, as is known, is harmful especially to children and the elderly, as well as those with chronic lung diseases or poor immune systems. Moreover, the present invention will remove heat condensation and moisture which could lead to environments that support growth of molds, mildew and wood rot. 
   In addition to the foregoing, the present invention is advantageous in relation to an average dehumidifier which costs normally anywhere from $10 to $30 a month to operate. In contrast, the current invention employing a suction fan and motor assembly costs on the average of about $4 a month and uses less than 50 watts of power, comparable to that of a light bulb. 
   The invention has been described with reference to several preferred embodiments. Obviously, alterations and modifications will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.