System for controlling basement leakage and humidity

• US 9,169,636 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James D. Blank
• Original Assignee: James D. Blank
• Inventors: Blank, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ference, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): AHMAD, CHARISSA L
• Application Number:
  US13/548,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20130014447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 521/695, 523/023, 523/024, 417/14, 417/18, 417/36, 137/312, 137/357, 137/360, 137/362
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/7023 by collecting water in basements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/221 to avoid the formation of condensate, e.g. dew

Abstract

A system for controlling water leakage and excess humidity in a basement, including a water leakage vacuum apparatus that includes a water vacuuming apparatus to collect a water leakage through a basement wall, an air dehumidifying apparatus, and a perimeter channel system having a plurality of flow channels, disposed along the perimeter of the basement wall. The perimeter channel system includes a water channel for conducting the water leakage away from a basement wall to the water vacuuming apparatus, a humid air channel for communicating humid air from the air space proximate to the outer wall of the basement to a dehumidifying apparatus, and a dehumidified air channel for communicating the dehumidified air discharged from the dehumidifying apparatus to the air space proximate to the outer wall of the basement.

Claims

1. A system for controlling water leakage and excess humidity in a basement, including:

a. a water leakage vacuum apparatus that includes a water vacuuming apparatus to collect a water leakage through a basement wall,

b. an air dehumidifying apparatus, and

c. a perimeter channel system disposed along a perimeter of the basement wall having a plurality of flow channels including a water channel for conducting the water leakage away from the basement wall to the water vacuuming apparatus, a humid air channel for communicating humid air from an air space proximate to the basement wall to the dehumidifying apparatus, and a dehumidified air channel for communicating the dehumidified air discharged from the dehumidifying apparatus to the air space proximate to the basement wall.

2. The system according to claim 1, further including a water leakage detector positioned along the basement floor along the perimeter, and between the basement wall and a portion of the water and air channeling device, for detecting the water leakage, and communicating a signal to the water leakage vacuum apparatus.

3. The system according to claim 2, further including a means for limiting entry of the water leakage into the perimeter channel system to only the one or more locations where the excess water leakage has been detected.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the means for limiting entry of the water leakage into the perimeter channel system includes an opening into the water channel, and a selectably openable door that sealingly closes over the opening, and that moves from a closed position to an open position in response to water leakage signal communicated to the water leakage vacuum apparatus.

5. The system according to claim 1, further including an above-floor sump to discharge the collected water leakage.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the perimeter channel system comprises a plurality of connected water and air channeling devices that are configured for attachment to a floor of the basement.

7. The system according to claim 6, further including a humidity detecting and control system including the air dehumidifying apparatus and an air moving apparatus, for drawing air in a draw space along the perimeter channel system to the air dehumidifying apparatus, and returning the dehumidified air to a return space along the perimeter channel system.

8. The system according to claim 7, further including a humidity detector for detecting the humidity of the air in the draw space, and communicating a signal to the humidity detecting and control system.

9. The system according to claim 6, further including a control and network system for monitoring the water leakage and air humidity, for collecting and recording data on water leakage and air humidity, and for programming and controlling the air dehumidifying apparatus and the water leakage vacuum apparatus.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the control and network system is networked with the internet.

11. The system according to claim 6 wherein the perimeter channel system includes a plurality of corner sections and a plurality of straight sections, sealingly connected to form a selected pattern.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein an opening in the humid air channel is formed into a first corner section, and an opening in the dehumidified air channel is formed into a second adjacent corner section.

13. The system according to claim 6, further including an electrical power backup device.

14. The system according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of connected water and air channeling devices have a base surface upon which an interior wall is constructed, wherein the air space is defined between the basement wall and the interior wall.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the base surface is configured to retain the wooden studs used for constructing the interior wall.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the plurality of connected water and air channeling devices have a rear wall disposed facing the basement wall, the rear wall having the bottom water channel, and an upper air channel and an intermediate air channel, the upper wall channel and the intermediate air channel defining the humid air channel and the dehumidified air channel.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the plurality of connected water and air channeling devices have a front wall disposed facing away from the basement wall, the front wall comprising a surface configured to support a drywall panel.