US20020108333A1 - Wall and roof drainage apparatus, method, and tool - Google Patents

Abstract

An inexpensive system and method of dwelling wall construction allows water to drain from the wall instead of being absorbed into the wood. A tool creates a moisture-reduction system within an existing wall.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
• A common problem in wood frame structures is the accumulation of moisture within exterior walls and roofs due to migration of ambient moisture through the surface composition (e.g., stucco or shingles) or from inside the structure by condensation from interior air, where it can be absorbed by wooden structural members and other construction elements. The absorbed moisture can then lead to degradation of wall strength, odors inside the structure, and organism infestation that may be very expensive to correct. The present invention provides an inexpensive system and method of exterior wall construction that allows water to drain from the wall or roof before it is absorbed into the wood. It also provides a tool and method for providing drainage and drying means within a wall or under a roof.[0001]
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
• An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive system and method of wall construction that allows water to drain from inside a wall or from under a roof instead of being absorbed into the wood. Another object of the invention is to provide a tool and method for providing drainage and drying means in these locations.[0002]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 depicts a perspective cutaway view of a typical current system of exterior wall construction.[0003]
• FIG. 2 is a perspective cutaway view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.[0004]
• FIG. 3 is a perspective cutaway view of a typical insulated system of exterior wall construction.[0005]
• FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the bottom of the wall in FIG. 2, showing a first means of preventing water from staining the exterior surface of the wall.[0006]
• FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the bottom of the wall in FIG. 2, showing a second means of preventing water from staining the exterior surface of the wall.[0007]
• FIG. 6 is a perspective cutaway view of a second embodiment of the invention.[0008]
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the inner face and bottom edge of a portion of an insulating board shaped in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention.[0009]
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tool to be used to create a drainage layer in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.[0010]
• FIG. 9 is a perspective close-up view of the bit end of the tool of FIG. 8.[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• There are structural similarities between roofs and exterior walls in conventional wood frame dwellings. In walls, as explained below, the construction outward from the studs typically consists at least of wood (chip board or plywood) panels overlain with tar paper, which in turn is overlain with a surface composition such as lath-supported stucco. Roofs in their simplest form differ from this only in that they are not vertical, studs are called rafters, and the surface composition is shingles. For simplicity's sake, the descriptions that follow should be construed as applicable to roofs as well as walls in accordance with the above-noted similarities. The invention herein described is therefore not limited to walls. Referring now to the Figures, in which like numerals are used to depict like elements in all drawings, the present invention is described as follows:[0012]
• FIG. 1 depicts a side cutaway view of a typical current system of exterior stucco wall construction. It comprises a layer of typically vertical and horizontal load bearing members represented in this figure by a vertical[0013]wooden stud1 having an inner face2 and an outer face3. Inward of face2 of the stud, and typically affixed thereto, are panels ofgypsum wallboard4. Affixed to face3 is apanel5, typically of chip board or plywood, covered by a sheet of feltpaper6. (Plastic “house wrap” sheeting is often substituted for the felt paper.) Affixed to thepaper6, in turn, by an fastening means7, is a mortar support lath8, typically made of expanded metal or plastic grid having holes9. Applied in turn to the support lath8 and into the holes9 is a layer ofstucco10. Because the stucco and felt paper layers are never airtight, and because the stucco is typically exposed to the elements, moisture may collect between thepanel5 and the feltpaper6. Also, because of seams in thewallboard4, the air inside the structure comes in contact with thewooden studs1 andpanels5. During cold weather, these wooden parts may often be at a temperature below the dew point of the air inside the structure and thus may condense moisture from inside the structure onto their surfaces. Once inside the wall in liquid form, air circulation within the wall is so slight as to prevent the water from re-evaporating.
• FIG. 2 depicts a side cutaway view of the preferred embodiment of the wall drainage system of the present invention as applied in stucco construction. It is comprises all the features of FIG. 1, and additionally comprises a substantially rigid and[0014]hydrophobic drainage layer20 interposed between thepaper6 and the lath8, abaffle21 at the bottom of the wall, and weepholes22 communicating between thelayer20 and the outside air. In the preferred embodiment, thelayer20 is comprised of shredded or chipped recycled tires. Anywater10 that penetrates the stucco will flow downward through thelayer20 under the influence of gravity until it reaches thebaffle21, where is it diverted to the outside through theweep holes22.
• FIG. 3 depicts a side cutaway view of a second typical current system of exterior stucco wall construction incorporating a layer of insulation. It comprises the typical layers represented, as in FIG. 1, by a vertical[0015]wooden stud1, achip board panel5, and a sheet of feltpaper6. However in the insulated case, affixed to thepaper6, byfastening means7, is aninsulating board30, typically polyisocyanurate foam. Attached to the insulatingboard30 by a second fastening means31, in turn, is the mortar support lath8 having grid holes9. Applied in turn to the support lath8 and into the holes9 is thestucco layer10. With the insulatingboard30 present, moisture is somewhat less likely to collect on the studs and panels from inside the structure than in the un-insulated case. This is because the insulating board prevents the studs and panels from getting quite as cold in winter and therefore they will not as often be below the dew point of the interior air. Nevertheless, appreciable moisture can get in over time. In addition, moisture is just as likely as in the un-insulated case to migrate to the outer surface of the insulating board through cracks in the stucco, and some of the moisture will inevitably find its way through seams in the insulation to the wooden parts. The insulation layer makes it even more difficult for collected water to re-evaporate and leave the wall.
• FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the bottom of the wall in FIG. 2, showing a first means of preventing water from staining the exterior surface of the wall; the[0016]weep holes22 may optionally be lined withnon-porous tubes40 that extend beyond the external face of thestucco10 so as to isolate the water from the materials of the wall if desired and keep it from flowing down the face and staining it.
• FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the bottom of the wall in FIG. 2, showing a second means of preventing water from staining the exterior surface of the wall; the[0017]baffle21 may optionally be extended through the bottom of theweep holes22 so as to form alip50 for the purpose of keeping water from flowing down the face and staining it.
• FIG. 6 is a side cutaway view of a second embodiment of the present invention, similar to that shown in FIG. 2, in which[0018]hydrophobic layer20 comprises insulating board having anotched face60 and anotched bottom edge61. Theface60 faces the outer surface ofpanel5. The board would be typically sheets of dosed-cell expanded polymeric foam in which vertical notches and horizontal notches (see FIG. 7) are formed intoface60 andedge61 respectively. This embodiment of the invention combines the water removal capabilities of the first embodiment with insulating properties.
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the inner face and bottom edge of a portion of a[0019]hydrophobic layer20 comprising insulating board shaped in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention. Thevertical notches62 provide the hydrophobic path for condensed water to flow under the influence of gravity to the baffle (not shown) and thehorizontal notches63 createweep holes22 through this layer as described in FIG. 2.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tool to be used to create a drainage layer between the panel and lath of the wall depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3 in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention. It comprises a flexible[0020]hollow snake70 with ahand grip71. Through the snake runs atough wire72 sized to rotate freely within thesnake70. At afirst end76 of the wire72 adrive73 is rigidly attached for insertion into the chuck of a suitable driver (not shown). At thesecond end74 of thewire72 is rigidly attached ashaped bit75. Avacuum chamber77 surrounds thewire72 and pulls air in fromsecond end74 throughannular passage90. Any solids and liquids removed bybit75 move throughpassage90 intovacuum chamber77 where they are filtered out of the air stream, which exits throughoutlet78. Aflexible boot79 surroundswire72 neardrive73 to limit air in-leakage at that point. Acable80 is attached to and runs the length ofsnake70 carrying actuating cables for the steering mechanism and/or conductors for the moisture probe (both shown in the next figure). Other items (not shown) may be added to the side or top of thechamber77 such as a sight glass to show the operator whether a significant amount of condensed water has been collected; a moisture probe readout; and/or control knobs for the steering mechanism.
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the[0021]second end74 of the tool of FIG. 8 while in use. With the driver attached to the first end (not shown) ofwire72 and running clockwise as viewed from the first end,bit75 is rotating in the direction indicated by arrow C. Thebit75 is inserted through a pre-drilled diagonal hole between the stucco layer (not shown) and thepanel5. Due to the shape of thebit75 and the direction of insertion into the wall, the bit preferentially seeks less resistive paths such as through the feltpaper6 in the interstice between thepanel5 andboard30 of FIG. 3. Due to its helical shape and due to manual pressure into the wall, thebit75 will move forward and establish adrainage channel81. Aiming of thebit75 is accomplished by moving steeringcollar86 onflexible struts100 which are fixedly connected to both thecollar86 and the end ofsnake70. This may be effected by the electronic or mechanical differential shortening ofsteering wires82 and83. By way of example and not limitation, if steeringwire82 comprises an electromechanical muscle wire that is shortened by the application of voltage, and voltage is applied to it, steeringcollar86 will be pulled in the direction indicated by arrow I (into the page). Similarly, if steeringwire83 is shortened, steeringcollar86 will be pulled in the direction indicated by arrow O (out of the page). Thesecond end74 may also comprise amoisture sensing probe84 connected by cable85 containingsteering wire conductors93 and94 and moisture sensor conductors (not shown) to an operator's readout mounted near the first end of the tool (e.g., on the side of the vacuum chamber, not shown) to aid in directing thebit75 toward high-moisture areas within the wall.
• As the bit rotates and advances, it dislodges[0022]particles91. The vacuum applied throughannulus90 by the vacuum chamber (not shown) pulls air into the wall alongchannel81, where it picks upparticles91 and draws them intoannulus90 where they are removed from the wall. The relatively dry air entering the wall will also pick up moisture from the wall, so the vacuum may be left running for as long as necessary to dry the wall to a satisfactory level as detected byprobe84.

Claims (16)

1] A shredded hydrophobic moisture drainage panel comprising, at least:

a layer of thin, preferably water-resistant, material, and a layer of shredded hydrophobic material.

2] The panel of claim1 in which said layers are bonded by heat fusion.

3] The panel of claim1 in which said layers are bonded by adhesive interposed between them.

4] The panel of claim1 in which said hydrophobic material is substantially rubber.

5] A sheet moisture drainage panel comprising:

a sheet of expanded polymeric foam having two parallel faces, a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges, and wherein at least one face contains parallel vertical grooves.

6] The sheet moisture drainage panel of claim5 further comprising:

parallel bottom grooves across said bottom edge which join said vertical grooves so as to form a continuous L-shaped groove.

7] A method of moisture-draining exterior surface construction comprising the steps of:

a) fastening a plurality of wood panels to the outward-facing sides of wooden structural members;

b) fastening a plurality of moisture drainage panels, taken from the group of i) shredded hydrophobic moisture drainage panels and ii) sheet moisture drainage panels, to the outward-facing sides of the wood panels;

c) fastening a lath to the outward-facing sides of the moisture drainage panels; and

d) applying a surface composition to the lath.

8] The method of claim7 wherein:

said fastening of said wood panels to said structural members is accomplished by driving nails through said wood panels into said structural members;

said fastening of said moisture drainage panels to said wood panels is accomplished by application of adhesive between said drainage panels and said wood panels; and

said fastening of said lath to said moisture drainage panels is accomplished by application of adhesive between said lath and said drainage panels.

9] A structure exterior drainage tool, comprising:

An elongated flexible tube having a first tube end and a second tube end;

An elongated hardened flexible wire having a first wire end and a second wire end, the wire rotatably held within the tube, the first and second wire ends extending outwardly beyond the first and second tube ends, respectively;

A square drive capable of receiving a chuck being fixedly attached to the first wire end;

A shaped bit being fixedly attached to the second wire end so that when the chuck is rotated, the wire turns within the tube the bit rotates relative to the tube; and

A bit steering assembly being fixedly attached to the second tube end.

10] The tool of claim9 in which said bit steering assembly further comprises:

An anchoring collar fixed to said second tube end;

A wire guide surrounding said second wire end between the collar and said bit, the collar and the guide flexibly connected by a strut, the strut being substantially collinear to said wire;

A plurality of steering cables connected to the wire guide at equally-spaced intervals around the guide, the cables capable of being pulled so as to bias said second wire end and said bit in the direction of pulling.

11] The tool of claim10 in which said cables are comprised of wire that shortens when a voltage is applied to it, and said tube supports electrical leads for transmission of voltage to the cables.

12] The tool of claim11 in which said shaped bit comprises hardened wire formed into a helix being coaxial to said second wire end.

13] The tool of claim12 in which said helix extends coaxially away from said second tube end and has a decreasing radius in that direction.

14] The tool of claim9 in which said first tube end is affixed to a vacuum chamber capable of having a vacuum applied to it, so that the annular space between said wire and said tube communicates with the space within the vacuum chamber, and so that air in the vicinity of said bit will be pulled through the annular space into the vacuum chamber.

15] The tool of claim14 in which said vacuum chamber is equipped with a level indicator to indicate the level of water accumulated in the chamber.

16] The tool of claim9 wherein a moisture detecting probe, capable of producing an electrical signal responsive to the water vapor content of the air next to it, is attached to said second tube end, and the signal is transmitted via electrical conductors to a readout mounted near said first tube end.

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