Abstract:
An interconnected double hull construction for the basement of a building. The double hull construction includes a plurality of interior wall boards attached to the interior face of the foundation walls in a manner adapted to provide communication between air passageways located behind the wall boards and the ambient air within the basement. A plurality of secondary floor slabs are placed over the primary floor slab. A plurality of spacer members located between the primary floor slab and the secondary floor slabs are adapted to provide a plurality of interconnecting passageways. An air exhaust system is adapted to draw ambient air from within the basement through the air passageways and/or through the plurality of interconnecting passageways and exhaust the air from the structure. Sump pump means are provided for gathering water from within the basement and exhausting the water from the building.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/759,223, filed Jan. 12, 2006. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to an interconnected double hull construction for basements that provides insulation, waterproofing, and quality air. 
   In many parts of the world structures are built with basements. Building codes for basement construction varies from country to country, and from state to state within the United States. 
   In spite of good construction methods, materials and design, basements can become damp or wet. Such dampness problems can arise from cracks created by settling of the structure, by clogged drain lines, etc. Insulated walls are difficult to keep dry, resulting in mold and mildew growth, odors, and rotting. During wet periods basements with water leaks are vulnerable to excessive water seepage and condensation that can damage the insulation, flooring, and finished walls. Many insulated basements cannot handle minor water flooding or condensation without damage to the insulation. 
   Poor air quality is another problem arising in many basement. In some areas of the country radon gas can seep into basements from the adjacent ground. Homes today tend to be well insulated and airtight, giving rise to an accumulation of internally polluted air from a variety of sources. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a basement construction that thermally insulates the basement without causing rotting, mildew, mold, or odors. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a basement construction that protects the basement from large and small water leaks, and moisture or condensation that can penetrate the walls or floor. 
   It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a basement construction that removes radon and/or other air pollutants. 
   The present invention relates to an interconnected double hull construction for a basement located beneath a structure. Such basements include a primary horizontal floor slab, vertical foundation walls, and a ceiling attached to horizontal floor joists. 
   A plurality of interior wall boards are attached to the interior face of the vertical foundation walls of the basement. Each of the interior insulation wall boards have a rigid insulation core having a front face and a rear face. A plurality of substantially vertical slats or other spacing means are located on the rear face thereof. The interior wall boards are attached to the interior face of the vertical foundation walls with the spacing means in contact therewith. The spaces between adjacent slats or spacing means provide a plurality of passageways for air, water vapor, radon and air pollutants. The interior wall boards are attached to the foundation walls in a manner adapted to provide communication between their air passageways and the ambient air within the basement. 
   A plurality of secondary floor slabs are placed over the primary horizontal floor slab. A plurality of spacer members are located between the primary horizontal floor slab and each of the secondary floor slabs. The spacer members are adapted to provide a plurality of interconnecting passageways between the primary and secondary floor slabs. 
   An air exhaust system, including an air duct containing a motor driven fan, draws ambient air from within the basement through the air passageways behind the interior insulation wall boards and/or through the plurality of interconnecting passageways located between the primary and secondary floor slabs, and exhausts it from the structure. 
   The double wall and double floor creates interconnected space for removing liquid water, water vapor, radon, and air pollutants. 
   A sump pump means for gathering water from within the basement and exhausting it from the structure is provided. 
   Exterior insulation wall boards are attached to the exterior face of the vertical foundation walls. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the double hull basement construction of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the rigid interior wall board assembly used in the double hull basement construction; 
       FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the rigid exterior wall board assembly used in the double hull basement construction; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of a first embodiment of a secondary floor slab used in the double hull basement construction; and 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of a second embodiment of a secondary floor slab used in the double hull basement construction. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Conventional basement construction includes a horizontal concrete “primary” floor slab  10 , vertical foundation walls  12  formed of concrete, concrete blocks, etc. resting on a concrete footing  14 , floor joists  16 , and a ceiling  18  attached to floor joists  16 . 
   Interior wall boards  20  are attached to the interior face of vertical concrete foundation walls  12 . As best seen in  FIG. 2 , interior wall boards  20  include a rigid insulation core body  22 . A plurality of substantially vertical spacing slats  24  are located on the rear face of interior wall boards  20  for providing a plurality of spaces  25  between adjacent slats or spacing means to provide a plurality of passageways for air, water vapor, radon, and air pollutants. Slats  24  also provide surfaces for gluing interior wall boards  20  to the interior face of vertical concrete foundation walls  12 . Spacing slats  24  can be continuous or discontinuous. 
   Spacing members other than spacing slats  24 , such as spacer members  42  discussed below, can be used so long as they allow air, water vapor, radon, and air pollutants to pass between interior wall boards  20  and foundation walls  12 . Spacing slats  24  or other spacing members can be attached to the foundation wall  12  instead of to the rear of interior wall boards  20 . 
   Vertical wiring tunnels  26  can be formed at various locations within wall boards  20  to provide space for running electrical, telephone, or cable TV wires, or plumbing. Horizontal or angular wiring tunnels (not shown) can also be formed in wall boards  20 . 
   A hard facing board  27  is attached to the front face of rigid insulation core body  22  of interior wall boards  20 . Facing board  27  can be water resistant with a pre-finished pattern or paintable. Facing board  27  can be made from sheet rock, concrete, stucco, pre-finished wood paneling, or similar materials. 
   When interior wall boards  20  are applied to the interior face of vertical concrete foundation walls  12 , space  28  is left between the top thereof and ceiling  18  so that the air passageways formed between adjacent vertical slats  22  communicate with the interior space of the basement. Space  28 ′ is left between the bottom thereof and the upper surface of primary floor slab  10  so that air and water can enter therethrough. 
   Interior wall boards  20  can have cut-outs to accommodate windows or obstructions. 
   Interior wall boards  20  are preferably rectangular in shape, and of a size to allow for easy handling. 
   Exterior wall boards  30  are attached to the exterior face of vertical concrete foundation walls  12 . As best seen in  FIG. 3 , exterior wall boards  30  include a rigid insulation core body  32  having a plurality of small, shallow adhesion holes  34  located in the exterior face thereof. 
   A protective coating  36  forms the exterior face of exterior boards  30 . Protective coating  36  can be any protective coating used on the exteriors of basement walls, such as various plasticized materials, cement, stucco, or similar materials. Adhesion holes  34  improves the adhesion of the protective coating  36  to exterior wall boards  30 . Instead of adhesion holes  34 , grooves or other means can be used to improve the adhesion of protective coating  36 . 
   A plurality of substantially vertical slats  38  are located on the interior face of exterior wall boards  30 . Slats  38  are used to adhere exterior boards  30  to foundation walls  12  with an adhesive, such as “liquid nails”. Slats  38  can be formed into the interior face of exterior boards  30 , or can be separate parts that are adhered to the interior face of exterior boards  30 . The top openings between the slats  38  should be sealed with an all weather sealant. 
   Secondary floor slabs  40 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , are placed on top of the existing (primary) basement floor slab  10 . Secondary floor slabs  40  can be rectangular or square and of a size adapted to provide for easy handling. A plurality of spacer members  42  are attached to the underside of secondary floor slabs  40  or, alternatively, attached to the existing basement floor slab  10 . Spacer members  42  are shown as having a rectangular shape, but they can be other shapes. Spacer members  42  provide for interconnecting air and water spaces between existing basement floor slab  10  and secondary floor slabs  40 , as best seen in  FIG. 1 . Secondary floor slabs  40  with attached spacer members  42  can be made from concrete and attached to the existing floor slab  10  with outdoor tile mortar or similar material. 
   An alternative secondary floor slab  140  is shown in  FIG. 5 . Secondary floor slab  140  has a core of rigid insulation material  144 . A plastic laminate layer  146  attached to the underside of core  144 . A plurality of spacer members  142  are attached to the outside surface of plastic laminate layer  146 . An outer layer  148  of hard waterproof material is attached to the upper side of core  144 . 
   A sump pit  50  is formed beneath primary basement floor slab  10  in a manner well known in the art, and has a removable sump pit cover  51  having a plurality of bottom spacers  55 , or a perforated perimeter seal (not shown). A sump pump  52  powered by electric sump pump motor  54  is installed within sump pit  50  in a manner well known in the art. Collected water from one or more drain pipes  53  (only one drain pipe  53  being shown) and from along wall  12  and floor  10  enters sump pit  50 . Drain pipes  53  are connected at their other ends to suitably placed floor drains (not shown). The output of sump pump  52  is connected to exhaust water pipe  56  having a disconnect fitting  57  and one way valve  58 . The output end of water pipe  56  (not shown) is connected to an external drain system or to the outside of the structure. 
   An air exhaust system includes an exhaust air pipe  60  having an exhaust fan  62  located therein powered by variable speed electric motor  64  controlled by a humidistat. Exhaust air pipe  60  is preferably mounted on sump pit cover  51 . A flexible disconnect  66  allows access to the interior of exhaust pipe  60 . The output end of exhaust air pipe  60  (not shown) is located on the exterior of the building, such as above the roof. 
   In operation, motor driven exhaust fan  62  is turned on and draws ambient basement air into the space  28  adjacent the ceiling  18 , and down through the spaces  25  located between vertical slats  22  of interior wall boards  20 . The direction of the flow of air in the air exhaust system is shown by the non-solid arrows in  FIG. 1 . The ambient air is drawn downwardly into the interconnecting spaces provided by spacer members  42  located between the upper surface of concrete floor slab  10  and the lower surface of secondary floor slab  40 . Air is also drawn into the space  28 ′ located between secondary floor slabs  40  and interior insulation assembly boards  20 . The air, water vapor, radon, and pollutants are then drawn into exhaust air pipe  60  and exhausted to the exterior of the structure. 
   The water exhaust system allows water to flow from floor drains into drain pipes  53 , and into sump pit  50  where it is pumped out by sump pump  52 . The sump pump  52  will also remove the water that enters sump pit  40  from the air space created at the wall  12  and on the floor  10 . The air flow in the air space created at the wall  12  and the floor  10  will dry any dampness to prevent the formation of mold and mildew. Any radon gas or other pollutants coming through drain pipes  53  will also be removed by the air exhaust system. The direction of the flow of water in the water exhaust system is shown by the solid arrows in  FIG. 1 . 
   In addition, water accumulating on the floor not captured by floor drains can enter the space  28 ′ located between secondary floor slabs  40  and interior insulation assembly boards  20 , through the spaces provided by spacer members  42  located between the upper surface of concrete floor slab  10  and the lower surface of secondary floor slab  40 , and into sump pit  50 . Also, water accumulating on the floor not captured by floor drains and not entering space  28 ′ can flow into sump pit  50  through the space provided by the spacers  55  located on the bottom of removable sump pit cover  51 . 
   Filtered make up air can be provided at convenient entry areas in the structure. Preferably the make up air would be passed through a heat exchanger associated with the exhaust air pipe  60  to assist in heating or cooling such make up air. 
   It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments of this invention without departing from the underlying principles thereof. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.