Basement water drainage method for use with a foundation having no footing

• US 8,186,127 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James M. Pratt
• Original Assignee: James M. Pratt
• Inventors: Pratt, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMUREN, BABAJIDE A
• Application Number:
  US12/925,838
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 527/411.1, 521/695, 523/023, 523/021, 52/61, 52/62, 52/58, 52/97, 522/19, 523/026, 527/162
• US Class Current: 52/741.11
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 31/02 against ground humidity or ground water E02D31/06 takes precedence; arrangements other than according to E02D31/04; against hydraulic pressure of groundwater E02D31/10

Abstract

A method of draining water entering a building having a foundation wall with no footing by removing a portion of the slab floor adjacent to the foundation wall and digging a trench and a divot trench, placing a cove base against felt and against the foundation wall with the cove base extending from above the slab floor and down into the trench divot. The trench divot is lined with felt, and a drain conduit is placed into the trench having apertures aligned with apertures formed in the cove base to direct water coming from the foundation wall behind the cove base, through the aligned apertures to be directed into the conduit to a remote location, such conduit being covered by fill and a vapor barrier and with concrete poured thereover and leveled to the height of the slab floor.

Claims

1. A method for draining water for use with a building having a foundation wall, said foundation wall having an interior, an inner perimeter, and a base but no footing, said foundation wall surrounding a basement having a slab floor extending to inner perimeter of said foundation wall, said slab floor having a level and a top, comprising the steps of:

removing a portion of said slab floor adjacent to said foundation wall, said portion being approximately 5 inches wide, creating an inside face of said slab floor;

digging a trench adjacent to said foundation wall where said slab floor has been removed, said trench being approximately 5 inches deep and 5 inches wide, said trench having a bottom,

digging a trench divot having a bottom, and first and second sides disposed substantially parallel to one another, said first side disposed adjacent to said foundation wall and a second side disposed away from said foundation wall, said trench divot being approximately 1 inch wide and 2-3 inches deep at said bottom of said trench divot adjacent to the inside of said foundation wall;

providing a substantially planar cove base having a top, said cove base positioned around said inner perimeter of said foundation wall, said cove base extending into said trench divot and upwards to a height above said top of said slab floor;

providing a cove base extension extending inward from said top of said cove base away from said inner perimeter of said foundation wall;

positioning a backing felt between said cove base and said inner perimeter of said foundation wall, said backing felt extending down said first side of said trench divot to said trench divot bottom and further around said trench divot bottom and up said second side of said trench divot;

attaching said cove base through said backing felt to said foundation wall;

filling said trench divot with gravel or stone;

lining said trench with felt, said felt contacting and extending from a lining contact height on said cove base within said trench, along said bottom of said trench and up said inside face of said slab floor;

partially filling said trench with gravel or stone;

providing a plurality of apertures disposed in a horizontal row in said cove base, said plurality of apertures positioned above said lining contact height, said trench felt contacting said cove base in said trench;

providing a drain pipe having a plurality of apertures defined therein, said drain pipe positioned in said partially filled trench;

aligning said plurality of apertures in said drain pipe with said plurality of apertures defined in said cove base;

covering said drain pipe in said trench with gravel or stone;

providing a vapor barrier;

positioning said vapor barrier over said filled trench, said vapor barrier extending from said cove base to said felt in said trench adjacent to said inside face of said slab floor;

filling the area defined between said slab floor and said cove base and above said vapor barrier with concrete;

leveling said concrete to said level of said slab floor; and

allowing water flowing down said interior of said foundation wall to be directed by said cover base and said cove base extension to the area defined behind said cove base occupied by said backing felt, said backing felt allowing water to pass therethrough and through said plurality of apertures defined in said cove base and through said aligned apertures defined in said drain pipe, said drain pipe directing said water to a selected location.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

positioning said bottom of said cove base within said trench divot extending below said base of said foundation wall for preventing said water flow from passing immediately under said foundation wall.

3. The method of claim 2 further including the step of:

providing a drain pipe having a substantially rectangular cross-section and first and second upright sides disposed substantially parallel to one another, said first upright side disposed adjacent to said cove base; and

positioning said drain pipe against said cove base with said plurality of apertures in said drain pipe defined in said first and second upright sides of said drain pipe for positioning said apertures in said first upright side in alignment with said plurality of apertures defined in said cove base.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of:

attaching said vapor barrier to said cove base.