Apparatus and method for waterproofing basements

Abstract

A drainage control apparatus (10) for basements having a poured concrete floor (27). A plurality of drainage structure (10) each have a vertical leg (15) and a horizontal leg (14), with the vertical leg (15) being positioned proximate to the vertical side wall (11) of the basement and the horizontal leg (14) resting upon the top of the foundation footing (12). The vertical leg (15) includes a plurality of outwardly protruding embossments (20) proximate the bottom end of the vertical leg (15). The vertical leg (15) also includes an outwardly projecting, longitudinal spacer lip (21) proximate the upper end (22) of the vertical leg (15). Both the embossments (20) and spacer lip (21) touch the vertical basement side wall (11) to maintain a gap (26) between the vertical leg (15) and the vertical side wall (11). The horizontal leg (14) of the drainage structure (10) includes a plurality of channels ( 25) to direct water into a drain pipe (18). A corner drainage control apparatus (32) for the corners of basements is also disclosed. The present invention also comprises a method for installing a drainage control apparatus (10) into basements, comprising the steps of constructing the foundation; installing a drainage structure (10) proximate the vertical side wall (11) so that a gap (26) exists proximate the vertical side wall (11); pouring concrete for the basement floor (27) so that the concrete flows against the drainage structure (10) and into embossments (20) in the drainage structure (10); hardening the contact slab floor (27); and cutting a top portion offf the drainage structure (10) so that it is flush with the top of the concrete floor (27) and so that a gap (26) exists between the concrete floor's edge and the basement side wall (11).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.