GB2624415A

GB2624415A - Improvements in leak provention from room to room

Info

Publication number: GB2624415A
Application number: GB2217173.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Newell Liam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2022-11-17
Filing date: 2022-11-17
Publication date: 2024-05-22
Also published as: GB202217173D0

Abstract

A tray for preventing moisture, from causes such as leaking pipes, dripping taps, or overflowing baths, from passing to other rooms or dwellings. The device comprises a base sheet 1A installed above or below the flooring 20, and flanges 2A protruding around the perimeter that may be part of the same piece of material as the base membrane, or may be formed separately and attached using adhesive or sealant where they overlap the top surface of the bottom sheet. The upstands are installed behind any wall boarding 16, 21 or finishes so that they are not visible. The bottom sheet may be installed and cut to size before the gaskets are attached, and the overlap between gasket and base layer may be at least 10mm. The flanges may be attached to the wall boarding or finish by adhesive or staples.

Description

PATENT APPLICATION OF

LIAM ROBERT NEWELL FOR

IMPROVEMENTS IN LEAK PROVENTION FROM ROOM TO ROOM

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the prevention of moisture or running water passing from one room to another in a dwelling or group of dwellings.

Background

The use of damp proofing in building is common and relates to the prevention of moisture or damp rising up from below a building by installing a layer of DPC (Damp Proof Course) in from the outer brick layer through a cavity often at an angle, with a tray, if one is available and through the inner brickwork to below FFL (finished floor level) This DPC is made of a plastic material to reflect any moisture and comes in lengths or sheets, preferably being installed when the building is erected.

The present problem to be solves relates to the passing of moisture or water between rooms in a dwelling, such as a house or block of flats (apartments).

An extreme example would be a flooding from a running tap, for example; if a person was to leave a bath running and the water overflows the bath and runs through the floor and the ceiling below it in the room below, creating a large amount of damage to both rooms.

A more common example is a dripping tap or pipe leak which can continue for minutes, hours or slowly over months or even years unnoticed, until the water saturates the porous flooring and ceiling and drips through into the room below. The room below can either be in the same house or dwelling or into another person's flat or home if in a block of flats or a tower building.

The water is able to do this damage because the material used to construct buildings is generally absorbent, cement, brick, block, plaster board, plaster, wooden or MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) floor blocks, Wooden boarding, chip boarding and ECO composites.

These are used widely and have become a standard throughout building and are used in different circumstances depending on the budget for each project.

The use of lighter more natural porous materials is growing in use as more ECO (Ecological) regulations and standards, goals are being promoted worldwide, increasing the problem of moisture and water passage from room to room.

Therefore, the present invention aims to offer a solution to this problem be sealing each rooms floor area with a plastic sheet DPC, preventing any moisture passing downward.

The prior art therefore shows that there is a need for a more effective way of preventing moisture from passing from room to room in a dwelling, which includes moisture or water passing from flat to flat (apartment to apartment).

The present invention aims to provide an improved method of installing a damp proof course plastic sheeting material which is preferably installed below the flooring of the upper room or flat (apartment) and having a flange rim which is vertically opposed to the horizontal floor area of the DPC and is installed behind the wall finish. It may also be installed on the surface of the floor base or boarding and the flange rim inserted behind the wall finish or wall boarding.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention there is provided a damp proof course plastic sheeting material which is preferably installed below the flooring of the upper room or flat (apartment) and having a flange rim which is vertically opposed to the horizontal floor area of the DPC and is installed behind the wall finish. It may also be installed on the surface of the floor base or boarding and the flange rim inserted behind the wall finish or wall boarding.

A room has a floor area which can vary in size with almost unlimited scope, this is often covered with a block board or floor board finish onto a sound insulated sub flooring, underneath which is the flooring space and under this is the ceiling structure of any room or flat (apartment below).

The outer walls of the rooms are often brick or blockwork on the outer side, or similar construction with the inner wall finish being a plaster board and / or plaster finish. Internal walls of the room or flat will often be made of a timber frame with a plaster board or composite board nailed to it forming a flat wall surface. This surface is then usually finished in a plaster to create a smooth surface area. The DPC proposed herein is preferably installed underneath the aforementioned block board or flooring board as a single base sheet covering the whole area. The flanges which vertically extend upwards from the edges of the DPC sheet are inserted behind the wall boarding on all sides, being therefore held in place behind the wall boarding between the board rear and the outside wall or inner wall section. The single piece of DPC sheeting with flanges comes as a single sized piece or as a as a custom fit sheet onto which the flanges are attached, once the sheet is cut to size, the overlapping edge of the flanges onto the base sheet overlaps on the top of the base sheet edge by at least lOmm.

The flanges are laid as a horizontally opposed band onto the wall surface at floor level, as shown in accompanying Figures, and can be held onto the wall surface using a glue or silicone sealant. The flange then folds onto the base sheet, as an overlap on to of the base sheet edge and is sealed using a silicone or glue onto the base sheet edge, as shown in Figure 6.

The flange bands may also be attached to wooden surfaces using staples, providing the staples are only inserted at the very top edge of the band.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.

Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important; therefore; that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the Patent Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application; which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved leak prevention from room to room which has all the advantages of the prior art damp proofing and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new leak prevention from room to room which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved leak prevention from room to room which is of durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved leak prevention from room to room which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labour, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public; thereby making suth a product available to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved leak prevention from room to room which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art sonic of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific o:ojects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

Brief description of figures

Figure 1 shows a dimensional view of a dwelling with the leak prevention from room to room installed.

Figure 2 shows a frontal sectional view of a group of rooms in a dwelling with the leak prevention from room to room installed in each floor.

Figure 3 shows a frontal sectional view of one room with the leak prevention from room to room installed underneath the flooring boards or concrete.

Figure 4 shows a dimensional vew of the single piece leak prevention from room to room.

Figure 5 shows a frontal sectional view of one room with the leak prevention from room to room installed on top of the flooring boards or concrete, below the floor finish.

Figure 6 shows a dimensional view of the piece leak prevention from room to room, with the flange band attached onto the base sheet.

Detailed description of figures

A typical embodiment of the leak prevention from room to room is shown in Figure 1 wherein a house is shown with rooms, 3, 4, 5, 6 to demonstrate a typical use of the leak prevention DPC, comprised of the base sheet 1 which will be rectangular or square depending on the room shape, with a flange 2 which is a shorter vertical band which protrudes up from the outer edge of the base sheet 1.

The DPC is preferably installed underneath the aforementioned block board or flooring board 15, 19, 20, 23 as a single base sheet 1A covering the whole floor area above the ceiling sections below, 14 and 18. The flanges 2A which vertically extend upwards from the edges of the DPC sheet 1A are inserted and disposed behind the wall boarding 17, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 21, 22 on all sides being therefore held in place behind the wall boarding between the board rear and the outside wall or inner wall section, in the rooms (or flats / apartments) 9, 13, 24, 25. As shown in Figure 2. The flanges therefore cannot be seen as they are hidden behind the wall outer surface.

Figure 3 shows a closer view of one of the rooms 13B (Flats! apartments) having the base sheet 1B located under the floor boarding or block board 19B and floor covering 29 which is on top of the floor boarding and its flanges 2B vertically forming a band behind the wall boarding 12B and 14B and covered by a plaster finish 26 and a tile finish 27, in this particular example. The ceiling section 18B is shown below the floor section and is protected by the DPC, 1B and 2B from any water or moisture passing from the room 13B (flat or apartment).

The single piece of DPC sheeting with flanges comes as a single sized piece as shown in Figure 4 with the base sheet 1C and flange 2C.

The DPC; 1D and 2D may also be installed on the surface of the floor boarding surface 19B and the flange 2D inserted behind the wall boarding 120 and 14D which has a plaster finish 26D and a tile finish 27D in this particular example. The base sheet 2D is covered by a floor covering 29D, such as tiles. As shown in the room 13D in Figure 5. The DPC, 1E and 2E can be installed as a base sheet 1E onto which the flange 2E are attached as a band, once the sheet is cut to size. This is used as a custom fit when a single piece is not able to suit the room size or shape or to overcome other fitting obstacles. The overlapping edge of the flanges onto the base sheet overlaps on the top of the base sheet edge by at least 10m m.

The flanges 2E are laid as a horizontally opposed band onto the wall surface at floor level, as shown in accompanying Figures, and can be held onto the wall surface using an adhesive or silicone sealant. The flanges then fold onto the base sheet 2E, as an overlap 28 onto the edge of the base sheet 1 E edge and is sealed using a silicone or glue onto the base sheet edge, as shown in Figure 6.

Claims

Claims 1) A leak prevention from room to room comprising; a damp proof course (DPC) having a base sheet which is room shaped and has flanges protruding vertically forming a single band from the base sheet edges, the base sheet being installed above or below floor boarding in a room, flat or apartment and the flanges disposed behind the wall finish and boarding of the room, flat or apartment, the said flanges being either part of a single piece of DPC base sheet or attached as a custom fit to a base sheet using an overlapping edge and adhesive sealant means.
2) A leak prevention from room to room as claimed in claim 1 wherein in use, the base sheet and flange fits to the edges of the room flooring area, covering the entire floor.
3) A leak prevention from room to room as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in use, if fitted as a custom fit the base sheet is cut to size and fitted prior to the flanges being installed.
4) A leak prevention from room to room as claimed in claim 1 wherein the overlapping edge of the flanges overlaps onto the base sheet edge top surface by at least lOmm.
5) A leak prevention from room to room as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in use, the overlap is fixed onto the base sheet edge top surface by means of the sealant adhesive between the two surfaces.
6) A leak prevention from room to room as claimed in claim 1 wherein the flanges are held vertically onto the wall finish and boarding of the wall by way of adhesive or staples.