Patent Grant
7789740
1. Field
The present embodiments relate to encapsulation and isolation for at least partially subterranean chambers of buildings.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Moisture is very damaging to wood structural support members of buildings and is absorbed by such members from the ground and from moist air in contact therewith.
Many buildings and homes are built without basements, and are elevated a few feet above the ground on support members such as stone, poured concrete or concrete block walls. In many cases the crawlspace between the ground surface and the wooden floor beams or joists of the house is at a level below the level of the surrounding soil, or below the level of saturated soils in wet weather, so that water flows into and is absorbed up through the floor of the crawlspace, usually a dirt surface, from adjacent ground areas of higher elevation and up from the sub-soil. Such water is drawn into the headroom of the crawl space in the form of water vapor and penetrates the wooden structural members of the building, causing wood rot, mold, odors, attraction of ants and other insects, rodents etc. Also, the escape of dangerous radon gas from the ground into the crawlspace and into the building is another problem.
Even in crawlspaces that do not leak or flood from groundwater, the earth below the crawlspace, and forming the floor of the crawlspace, has a high humidity level most of the time, and this water vapor rises into the crawlspace to produce a humid air atmosphere within the crawlspace, which moves upwardly to penetrate the structural framing and living spaces above the crawlspace.
Mold spores exist in air and grow into destructive mold in the presence of damp organic material, such as moist wood. Humidity levels of from 50% to 90% are common in crawlspaces, even those that have never flooded. Mold can grow on dirt, insulation, wood framing and even under carpeting on the floor within the home. Mold digests and destroys organic materials as it feeds on them. Damp environments also provide an inviting environment for insects such as termites, ants and similar critters that feed on moist organic material such as structural support wood and can contribute to the destruction and collapse thereof.
Vents may also be provided though the walls of the crawlspaces to allow moisture within the crawlspace to evaporate and exit the crawlspace. However, unless there is a breeze or a temperature or pressure differential between the air in the crawlspace and the atmospheric air outside the crawlspace the air will not flow in or out of the crawlspace vents. When air is flowing through the crawl space vents the volume of air exchanged through the vents may not be sufficient to prevent high humidity levels and mold growth. In addition, insects and other critters may enter and exit the crawlspace through the crawlspace vents. Outside air may also be forced, such as via a fan, into the crawlspace. This however is also unsatisfactory as exterior air is hot and humid in the summer, thereby contributing to condensation on crawlspace surfaces, and cold in winter robbing the crawlspace of insulative effectiveness.
In one exemplary embodiment, a crawlspace encapsulation system for encapsulating a crawlspace of a building is provided. The system includes a substantially impermeable barrier layer disposed in the crawlspace and isolating at least a portion of the crawlspace from an outside atmosphere and an air circulation system located in the isolated portion.
In another exemplary embodiment, a crawlspace encapsulation system for encapsulating a crawlspace of a building is provided. The system includes a substantially impermeable barrier layer disposed in the crawlspace and isolating at least a portion of the crawlspace from an outside atmosphere and an air exchange system connected to the isolated portion. The air exchange system is configured to feed air into the isolated portion of the crawlspace from a habitable area of the building.
In one exemplary embodiment, an air circulation system for a building having a habitable portion and a crawlspace is provided. The system includes a crawlspace encapsulation system for isolating the crawlspace from the earth and outside atmosphere, a fan unit and an inlet connected to the fan unit. The fan unit draws air from the habitable portion of the building through the inlet and the air is exhausted into the crawlspace.
In another exemplary embodiment, an air circulation system for circulating air within a crawlspace is provided. The system includes a fan unit mounted within the crawlspace of a building, the crawlspace being isolated from an outside atmosphere, an inlet connected to the fan unit for admitting conditioned air into the crawlspace from a habitable area of the building and an outlet mounted within the crawlspace for admitting air from the crawlspace into the habitable area for re-conditioning of the air.
The foregoing aspects and other features of the present embodiments are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
As can be seen in
The exemplary air apparatus 250 described herein may work in conjunction with a crawlspace encapsulation system such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,666, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety, to provide conditioned air circulation within the environmentally sealed crawlspace. In alternate embodiments, the air apparatus 250 may be installed as a stand alone unit or in combination with any other suitable crawlspace maintenance/preservation devices.
The crawlspace may be sealed with crawlspace liner 121. The crawlspace liner 121 is installed over the dirt floor 117 and around a sealed sump pit 119, if present, and is extended vertically-upwardly to the tops of the crawlspace walls and sealed against the inner surface of the foundation walls 111 peripherally surrounding and enclosing the crawlspace 115, as can be seen in
The vertical peripheral crawlspace liner extensions 121a are extended and supported against the inner surfaces of the foundation walls 111 and sealed thereto at an elevation which is above the exterior ground level, preferably to the tops of the foundation walls. The crawlspace liner 121 substantially encapsulates the crawlspace environment and completely isolates the building envelope and upper living spaces from the earth therebelow and from the dampness, insects and radon contained therein, to prevent the entry of water vapor from the soil or ground into the crawlspace environment and to prevent external ground water or flood water entry into the crawlspace and on top of the crawlspace liner 121, over the dirt floor 117, where it can become trapped and stagnant and can generate mold and fungus and water vapor which can deteriorate and rot structural wood support members of the building 100. The crawlspace liner 121 is sealed contiguous to the top edge of the building foundation wall 111 by a continuous peripheral sealing bead 121b (see
Referring now to
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
The tubular portion 580 of the inlet 390 is shown in the drawings as being substantially straight or perpendicular with respect to the mounting flange 560, but in alternate embodiments the tubular portion 580 may have any configuration such as, for example, an elbow. In alternate embodiments, rather than having an elbow shape, the tubular portion 580 may be at any suitable angle to the mounting flange 560 to accommodate, for example, placing the inlet within a wall or ceiling. The tubular portion 580 may also have any suitable length L to provide a sufficient mounting surface for duct 160 to be attached to the inlet 390.
The lower portion 500B of the inlet 390 may be provided with a way to adjust the cross-section of the air passage to control (e.g. limit or increase) the amount of the air passing through the inlet 390. As can be seen in
The upper portion 500A of the inlet 390 may include a plurality of air passages such as slots 520, a peripheral flange 521 and a rim 510. The slots 520 may allow air to pass into the inlet 390 and through the lower portion 500B while keeping debris from entering the air apparatus 250. The upper portion 500A may have any suitable number of slots having any suitable size and configuration. In alternate embodiments, in lieu of the slots 520 the inlet 390 may have, for example, a plurality of holes or any other suitable opening(s) for air to pass. The flange 521 may have any suitable dimensions to prevent the upper portion 500A from falling through, for example, an opening cut in a floor 210 (or a hole cut in the ceiling 220 of the crawlspace 115) of the building structure 100 through which the inlet 390 is installed. For example, the opening in the floor 210 may have a diameter smaller than the flange 520 but larger than the rim 510. It is noted that in alternate embodiments, the inlet may be mounted in any desired location and on any desired surface (floor, wall, ceiling, etc.) within, for example, the habitable area 200. The rim 510 may be of unitary construction with the upper portion 500A or in alternate embodiments it may be a separate piece attached to the upper portion 500A with a mechanical or chemical fastener or other suitable attachment method. The rim 510 may pass through the hole in the floor 210 and mate with the opening 550 of the lower portion 500B of the inlet 390. The rim 510 may be configured to snap into a recessed slot, such as slot 581 so that the upper portion 500A is retained by the lower portion 500B when the inlet 390 is installed. In alternate embodiments, the upper portion 500A may be prevented from separating from the lower portion 500B when installed by mechanical fasteners, such as screws, passing through the flange 521 and into the floor 210 or by an adhesive. In other alternate embodiments the upper portion 500A may be held in place in any suitable manner such as, for example, clips, threads (e.g. rim 510 and opening 550 have mating threads) or pins.
In alternate embodiments, the inlet may be in the form of grill having an upper portion with a peripheral mounting flange and a lower portion all having unitary construction. The upper and lower portions of the inlet may have a circular shape of any suitable diameter, but in other alternate embodiments the inlet may have any suitable shape such as, for example, rectangular. The upper portion of the inlet may have, for example, slots substantially similar to the slots 520 described above. The upper portion of the inlet may also include holes passing through the flange and located around the perimeter of the upper portion. The holes passing through the flange may be provided so that the inlet may be affixed to a surface such as, for example, a floor or wall with screws, nails or any other suitable fastening device. In other alternate embodiments, the inlet may be affixed to a surface in any suitable manner such as with an adhesive.
In this alternate embodiment, and as noted above, the lower portion of the inlet may be of unitary construction with the upper portion. In other alternate embodiments, the upper and lower portions may be joined in any suitable manner. The lower portion of the inlet may also have any suitable length so that when the inlet is affixed to a surface the lower portion extends through the surface a sufficient amount for connection to, for example, duct 160. The lower portion of the inlet may also be elbow shaped or at any angle with respect to the upper portion in a manner substantially similar to that described above for
In this alternate embodiment, the lower portion of the inlet may be provided with a way to adjust the cross-section of the air passage such as, for example, any suitable number of knockouts or otherwise removable pieces for adjusting the cross-sectional area of the inlet. In this alternate embodiment, the knockouts may be in the form of tubular sleeves that are configured so that the smaller sleeves fit within and lock into the larger sleeves. The sleeves may have any suitable shape corresponding to the cross-section of the inlet.
As noted before, in the exemplary embodiment, the fan unit 150 may be connected to the inlet 390 by any suitable duct 160. The duct 160 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape and size and be of any suitable length. The duct 160 may be constructed of any suitable material and may be flexible or rigid. In alternate embodiments, the inlet and fan unit, or fan unit housing may be mated without any intervening duct section. In still other alternate embodiments the fan unit or fan may be mounted within the inlet.
Referring now to FIGS. 3,4 and 7A-7C, in the exemplary embodiment the fan unit 150 may include a housing 350 and a fan 410. The fan unit 150 is shown in the Figures as having a box shaped housing 350. In alternate embodiments the housing 350 may have any suitable shape such as, for example, cylindrical. The housing 350 may be made of any suitable material such as, for example, metal or plastic. The housing 350 may be painted, coated or otherwise treated so that the housing 350 will not deteriorate, from for example, moisture. In this exemplary embodiment and as shown in
The housing 350 may have an inlet 360 and an outlet or exhaust 155. The inlet 360 may be located in any suitable area of the housing 350 and have any suitable shape for connection to an air duct. For example, the front 810 of the housing 350 may have a hole 820 for inlet 360 to be attached. The housing 350 may have an exhaust section 155 having slots or any other suitable exhaust openings so that the air taken from the living area 200 may enter the crawlspace 115. The exhaust 155 may be louvered or have stationary or adjustable vanes for controlling the direction of the exhaust air flow. In this example, the exhaust 155 is shown as being on, for example, the bottom 840 of the housing 350. In alternate embodiments, the exhaust 155 may be in any suitable location on one or more surfaces of the housing 350 such as, for example, the sides 860. The inlet 360 and exhaust 155 may be connected to each other within the housing in any suitable manner such as by an internal duct. In alternate embodiments, the housing 350 may have internal guide vanes to direct the air flow out through the exhaust 155. In still other alternate embodiments the interior of the housing itself may act to direct the air flow from the inlet 360 to the exhaust 155. In other alternate embodiments, the fan unit may be located outside of the crawlspace such as in a bathroom wall or ceiling or outside the building so that the exhaust is piped or ducted into or otherwise introduced into the crawlspace in any desired location.
The fan 410 may be located in any suitable location such as within the housing 350 or outside the housing 350 such as, for example, at the inlet 360 of the housing 350. As can be seen in
The fan unit 150, inlet 390 and duct 160 may be mounted in any suitable location within the crawlspace 115 such as, for example, between the floor joists 300 of the living area 200 above the crawlspace (e.g. the crawlspace ceiling) or on a wall of the crawlspace 115. The fan unit 150 may be mounted in any suitable manner, such as with any suitable hanging device, straps, brackets and the like. In alternate embodiments, the fan unit 150 may be configured as a floor unit that is placed on the floor 117 of the crawlspace 115 with duct work running up to the ceiling 220 of the crawlspace 115. In other alternate embodiments, the fan unit 150 may be located outside the crawlspace such as on or within a wall or ceiling of the habitable area 200 or as a standalone unit (floor unit) located within the habitable area 200 or outside the building.
As can be seen in
To isolate and/or reduce noise, resonant vibration and structure-borne noise from passing from the fan unit 150 into the living or habitable area 200, the fan unit 150 may be separated or isolated from its mounting surface (in this example, the straps 320A, 320B) by isolation pads or dampers 330A. The dampers may be constructed of any suitable damping material such as, for example, rubber, elastomeric pads, neoprene or vinyl materials. In this example, the dampers 330A may be located between the straps 320A, 320B and the fan unit 150. In alternate embodiments, the dampers may be located in any suitable location such as, for example, between a wall and a bracket for mounting the fan unit to the wall. In other alternate embodiments the dampers may be incorporated into a stand or be provided as feet where the fan unit is in a floor unit configuration. As can be seen in
Referring now to
The fan 410 of the fan unit 150 may cause the dry conditioned air from the living area 200 to be drawn into the inlet 390 of the air apparatus 250 as indicated by the arrows C. The inlet 390 may be surface mounted on or flush mounted in a floor 210 or a wall 215 of the habitable area 200. In alternate embodiments the inlet 390 may be located in any desired location within the habitable area. The conditioned air is passed from the inlet 390 through the duct 160 and into the fan unit 150. The duct 160 may have any suitable length and may be routed in any suitable manner along any suitable path to create an airtight connection between the inlet 390 and the fan unit 150. The conditioned air passes through the fan unit 150 and exits into the crawlspace 115 through the fan unit's exhaust 155 as indicated by the arrows A. For exemplary purposes, the flow rate of the air produced by the fan unit 150 entering the crawlspace may be approximately 90 CFM depending on the size of the crawlspace. In alternate embodiments, the fan unit 150 may provide a flow rate of air entering the crawlspace that may be more or less than 90 CFM. The conditioned air mixes with the air in the crawlspace 115 and in the exemplary embodiment the mixed air returns into the habitable area 200 as indicated by the arrows B through, for example existing penetrations between the crawlspace and the habitable space 200. The existing penetration may be, for example, gaps in the joints or openings of floorboards or walls. In alternate embodiments, the mixed air may return to the habitable area 200 through return vents or floor registers 270 installed in the floor 210 and/or walls 215 of the living area 200. The floor registers 270 may be any suitable registers having any suitable shape and size. The registers 270 may be surface mounted on or flush mounted in any suitable surface of the living area 200 such as, for example, a floor 210 or a wall 215. The mixed air that is returned to the living area 200 may be re-conditioned by the air conditioning devices of the living area 200. The re-conditioned air is available for re-circulation into the crawlspace creating a continuous cycle of air that may provide a substantially limitless source of conditioned air. In alternate embodiments, all of or a portion of the mixed air may be released to the atmosphere outside of the building through, for example, passive vents (where the air pressure within the crawlspace is greater than the atmospheric pressure outside the building, or by forced evacuation via a fan or air pump.
The mass flow rate of air entering the crawlspace may be balanced with the mass flow rate of air exiting the crawlspace through the gaps in the joints or openings of the floorboards or walls and/or through the floor registers. The floor registers and inlet 390 of the air circulation system may have air passages having substantially similar internal dimensions (i.e. air passage dimensions) so that the mass flow rate of air into the crawlspace 115 substantially matches the mass flow rate of air exiting the crawlspace 115. Where the number of floor registers is not equal to the number of inlets the sum of the cross-sectional area of the air passages for the floor registers may be substantially equal to the sum of the cross-sectional area of the air passages for the inlets. The floor registers may also be adjusted in a substantially similar manner as the inlet 390 so that the mass flow rate of air from the crawlspace 115 into the living area 200 may be balanced with the mass flow rate of the air flowing through the air apparatus 250. In alternate embodiments, the fan unit 150 may have an adjustable fan and/or the floor registers may each have an adjustable speed fan so that the mass flow rate may be adjusted by adjusting the speed of the fan 410 and the fan speed of the floor registers. In this alternate embodiment, the fan 410 of the fan unit 150 and the fan of the floor registers may be configured so that their speeds are matched (e.g. the flow rate are matched) to create a balanced air flow into and out of the crawlspace 115. The mass flow rate of air may be adjusted for any suitable reasons such as, for example, to allow the mixed air returning to the living area 200 sufficient time to be reconditioned or to compensate for increased humidity within the crawlspace 115. In alternate embodiments, the air flow rates may be adjusted so that the flow of air into the crawlspace does not match the flow rate of the air exiting the crawlspace. Where desired the flow rates of air into and out of the crawlspace may be adjusted to create, for example, a positive or negative pressure within the crawlspace.
The disclosed embodiments provide a crawlspace air circulation system for transferring conditioned air from a living or otherwise habitable area, into for example, a crawlspace. The air apparatus of the exemplary embodiments may also be installed in a basement or any other suitable location (e.g. within or outside the building with suitable ducting) to circulate conditioned air from a living area into the crawlspace, basement or other suitable location. This continuous cycle of circulating air may provide a constant exchange of air within an area such as a sealed crawlspace to prevent stale air and the growth of mold and the rotting of building structure components.
It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the embodiments. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the embodiments. Accordingly, the present embodiments are intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20080113606 A1 | May 2008 | US |
