Drainage system and method

Claim 2

A drainage system for draining water away from a building located in ground having a surface above which a portion of the building extends, the building having a horizontal base lying adjacent the ground and walls extending vertically from said base, said system including first drain means located in a first trench provided in the ground beneath said base adjacent the perimeter thereof, said first trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said base and inside of said vertically extending walls, second drain means located in a second trench provided in the ground, said first and second drain means being independent of each other whereby said second drain means does not communicate with said first drain means, said second trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said walls and outside of said vertically extending walls, said second trench being at least about 14 inches wide and about 18 inches deep and not greater than about three feet deep, said base being substantially deeper in the ground than said second drain means, said second trench being lined with a plastic sheet to form a trough for capturing water flowing from the ground surface into said second trench and for preventing water from flowing downwardly along said walls, said second drain means comprising pipe means for receiving water captured in said trough and for conducting said water away from said building, and gravel filling said first and second trenches and covering at least partially said first and second drain means.

Claim 3

A drainage system as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for securing said plastic sheet to the exterior of said building walls at approximately the surface of the ground.

Claim 4

A system as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a footer and wherein said vertically extending walls are foundation walls supported on said footer, said first trench is provided adjacent said footer and said second trench is provided in the ground above said footer.

Claim 5

A drainage system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said plastic sheet is a polyvinyl chloride material.

Claim 6

A drainage system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second drain means comprise perforated plastic tubes.

Claim 7

A drainage system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said foundation walls are formed of hollow building blocks and provided with openings in the bottom portion thereof for conducting moisture that penetrates inside of the blocks to said first trench.

Claim 8

A drainage system as set forth in claim 3 further including an expansion plate located between the inside surface of said foundation wall and a side end surface of the base adjacent said foundation walls, said expansion plate being supported on the surface of said footer and extending between the top surface of said footer and the top surface of the base, said expansion plate having notches formed in the lower portion thereof for conducting water therethrough to said first trench, the gravel in said first trench engaging portions of said expansion plate above the level of said notches.

Claim 9

A drainage system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said expansion plate has an arcuate cross section.

Claim 10

A drainage system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gravel is a washed river bed gravel size 57.

Claim 11

A drainage system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said gravel is a washed river bed gravel size 57.

Claim 12

A drainage system for draining water away from a building located in ground having a surface above which a portion of the building extends, the building having a horizontal base lying adjacent the ground and walls extending vertically from said base, said system including first drain means located in a first trench provided in the ground beneath said base adjacent the perimeter thereof, said first trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said base and inside of said vertically extending walls, second drain means located in a second trench provided in the ground, said first and second drain means being independent of each other whereby said second drain means does not communicate with said first drain means, said second trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said base and outside of said vertically extending walls, said second trench being at least about 14 inches wide and about 18 inches deep and not greater than about three feet deep, said base being substantially deeper in the ground than said second drain means, said second drain means comprising pipe means for receiving water and for conducting said water away from said building, and gravel filling said first and second trenches and covering at leat partially said first and second drain means.

Claim 13

A drainage system for draining water away from a building located in ground having a surface above which a portion of the building extends, the building having a horizontal base lying adjacent the ground and walls extending vertically from said base, said system including first drain means located in a first trench provided in the ground beneath said base adjacent the perimeter thereof, said first trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said base and inside of said vertically extending walls, second drain means located in a second trench provided in the ground, said first and second drain means being independent of each other whereby said second drain means does not communicate with said first drain means, said second trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said base and outside of said vertically extending walls, said second trench being at least about 14 inches wide and about 18 inches deep and not greater than about three feet deep, said base being substantially deeper in the ground than said second drain means, said second drain means comprising pipe means for receiving water and for conducting said water away from said building, and gravel filling said first and second trenches and covering at leat partially said first and second drain means.

Claim 14

A drainage system for draining water away from a building located in ground having a surface above which a portion of the building extends, the building having a horizontal base lying adjacent the ground and walls extending vertically from said base, said system including first drain means located in a first trench provided in the ground beneath said base adjacent the perimeter thereof, said first trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said base and inside of said vertically extending walls, second drain means located in a second trench provided in the ground, said second trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said walls and outside of said vertically extending walls, said second trench being at least about 14 inches wide and about 18 inches deep and not greater than about three feet deep, said second trench being lined with a plastic sheet to form a trough for capturing water flowing from the ground surface into said second trench and for preventing water from flowing downwardly along said walls, said plastic sheet being secured to the exterior of said walls at approximately the level of the surface of the ground, said second drain means comprising pipe means for receiving water captured in said trough and for conducting said water away from said building, gravel filling said first and second trenches and covering at least partially said first and second drain means, said walls being formed of hollow building blocks and provided with openings in the bottom portion thereof for conducting moisture that penetrates inside of said blocks to said first trench, said drainage system further including an expansion plate located between the inside surface of said wall and a side end surface of the base adjacent said walls, said expansion plate having notches formed in the lower portion thereof for conducting water therethrough to said first trench, said gravel in said first trench engaging portions of said expansion plate above the level of said notches, and a perforated plastic sheet covering said gravel in said second trench.

Claim 15

A drainage system for draining water away from a building located in ground having a surface above which a portion of the building extends, the building having a horizontal base lying adjacent the ground and walls extending vertically from said base, said system including first drain means located in a first trench provided in the ground beneath said base adjacent the perimeter thereof, said first trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said base and inside of said vertically extending walls, second drain means located in a second trench provided in the ground, said second trench extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of said walls and outside of said vertically extending walls, said second trench being at least about 14 inches wide and about 18 inches deep and not greater than about three feet deep, said second trench being lined with a plastic sheet to form a trough for capturing water flowing from the ground surface into said second trench and for preventing water from flowing downwardly along said walls, said plastic sheet being secured to the exterior of said walls at approximately the level of the surface of the ground, said second drain means comprising pipe means for receiving water captured in said trough and for conducting said water away from said building, gravel filling said first and second trenches and covering at least partially said first and second drain means, said walls being formed of hollow building blocks and provided with openings in the bottom portion thereof for conducting moisture that penetrates inside of said blocks to said first trench, said drainage system further including an expansion plate located between the inside surface of said wall and a side end surface of the base adjacent said walls, said expansion plate having notches formed in the lower portion thereof for conducting water therethrough to said first trench, said gravel in said first trench engaging portions of said expansion plate above the level of said notches, and a perforated plastic sheet covering said gravel in said second trench.

Claim 18

A method as set forth in claim 13 further including the steps of: forming a trough of a plastic sheet in said second trench, and placing said second drain means in said trough.

Claim 19

A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said walls are formed of hollow building blocks, and further including the step of providing openings in the bottom portion of said walls to allow water to drain into said first trench.