Method to reduce air infiltration through an insulated frame structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828764-B2
Application number	US-201415103466-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

Air flow is reduced through a structure insulated with one more layers of fiber wool or particulate insulating material. A layer of a foamed fluid polymeric composition is applied onto the exposed surface of the insulation to cover the edges at which the exposed surface of the insulation meets an enclosing member of the structure. The layer is then cured to form a polymeric coating on the exposed surface of the insulation. The coating seals the edge or edges at which the exposed surface of the insulation meets the enclosing members of the structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for reducing air flow through a structure insulated with one or more layers of fiber wool or particulate insulating material, the layers of fiber wool or particulate insulating material having an exposed surface and edges at which the exposed surface of the fiber wool or particulate insulating material meets an enclosing member of the structure, comprising
a) applying a layer of a foamed fluid polymeric composition that contains at least one volatile blowing agent onto the exposed surface of the fiber wool or particulate insulating material to cover the edges at which the exposed surface of the fiber wool or particulate insulating material meets an enclosing member of the structure and then;
b) curing the applied layer of foamed fluid polymeric composition to form a polymeric coating on the exposed surface of the fiber wool or particulate insulating material, which coating seals the edge or edges at which the exposed surface of the fiber wool or particulate insulating material meets the enclosing members of the structure, wherein the polymeric coating has at least one glass transition temperature of 15° C. or less, wherein the air flow through the structure is reduced by at least 50% after application of the polymeric coating.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric coating covers substantially the entire exposed surface of the fiber wool or particulate insulating material.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the air flow through the structure is reduced by at least 75% after application of the polymeric coating.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the polymeric coating is 0.25 to 5 cm.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a ceiling or horizontal structure.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the structure is a vertical structure.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the fiber wool or particulate insulating material is a fiber batt or cellulose insulation.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the polymeric coating has an elongation to break of at least 50%.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the polymer is one or more of a C 1 -C 8 alkyl acrylate, a polymer of a hydroxyalkylacrylate, an acrylate-styrene copolymer, an acrylate-vinyl acetate copolymer, a polyurethane, a polymer or copolymer of a diene monomers, or a silicone rubber.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid polymeric composition is a dispersion of particles of the polymer in a fluid continuous phase.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein the fluid polymeric composition is an aqueous emulsion.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid polymeric composition contains one or more precursor materials that react after application to form the polymer.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the precursor materials include at least one polyisocyanate compound.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein the polymeric coating has a permeability of 285-1425 ng/s·m 2 ·Pa.

Assignees

• Dow Global Technologies Llc
• Rohm & Haas

Inventors

• Parsons Gary D
• Bowe Michael D
• Szewczyk Janah C

Classifications

• E04B1/78

  Heat insulating elements {(E04B1/7662 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E04B1/7675

  Insulating linings for the interior face of exterior walls · CPC title

• B32B2419/06

  Roofs, roof membranes · CPC title

• B32B27/06

  as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08)} · CPC title

• D04H13/00

  Other non-woven fabrics · CPC title