Patent Application
20240068293
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to building construction. More specifically, the present invention relates to improved methods of installing windows, doors and any other device installed in an opening in a wall of a building. The installation methods of the present invention prevent infiltration of moisture and air that can lead to condensation. Such moisture and condensation are known to cause rotting of members used in construction of the building and can lead to the growth of mold and mildew. The methods of the present invention also improve R values related to the installation, i.e., a measure of how well a two-dimensional barrier, such as the wall in which the window is installed resists the conductive flow of heat and cold.
Windows and doors have been installed in the walls of buildings for centuries. The advantages of windows and doors are well-known. Window let light into buildings and transparent windows allow people in the building to see to the outside. Doors allow for ingress and egress. More recently, other devices have been installed in openings through a wall of a building. Such devices include electrical boxes, pipes and plumbing fixtures, vents, and the like
Various methods have been employed to install windows, doors, and such other devices. Yet, even today, infiltration of water though gaps around windows, doors and such other devices leads to damage over time. Further, gaps left between the framing adjacent to such window, doors, and other devices allows conductive flow of heat and cold around windows, doors, and such other devices. Under even the best of circumstances, such conductive flow of air results in increased costs to heat or cool a building. Condensation often also results leading to damages and costly repair over time.
The present invention solves the foregoing problems by providing methods of installation that eliminate water infiltration and condensation and increase the R value achieved. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods of installing doors, and other devices in a building. While the methods are described herein with reference to a window, the methods may also be applied to doors and other devices installed in openings in a wall.
These methods contemplate providing a wall with a rough opening of a first predetermined shape, e.g., a rectangle, a square, a triangle, a trapezoid, an octagon, any other polygon or a circle or oval. The rough opening also has a first predetermined size. The first size and first shape of the rough opening are defined by a rough opening frame.
The methods of the present invention also contemplate providing a window having a perimeter of a shape matching the shape of the rough opening and sized to fit in the rough opening. The size and shape of the window perimeter are defined be a window frame. More specifically, the size and shape of the window frame should correspond to the size and shape of the rough opening so that the window substantially fills the rough opening. The frame of the window may be constructed of any suitable material including, without limitation, woods clad with vinyl, aluminum, or steel.
When the present invention is employed, the rough opening 10 should be adapted such that with window frame 32 fits into the rough opening 10 leaving a gap in the range of ½ inch to ¾ inch surrounding the window frame between the window frame and the rough opening frame. Also, the rough opening should be adapted so the flanges 35, 37, 39 and 41 extend over a portion of the jack studs 13/14, sill plate 15 and header 16a/b. As such, the window 30 is held in place in the rough opening 10, with the requisite gap about the entire perimeter of the window, by securing top flange 35 to the header 16, the bottom flange 37 to the sill plate 15, and the side flanges 39 and 41 to the jack studs 13/14 or king studs 17/18 to the rough opening frame. Maintaining this gap during installation is preferably achieved using extruded polystyrene (XPS) shims although other shims may be sued without deviating from the invention. The flanges 35, 37, 39 and 41 extend roughly one inch over the header 16a/b, the sill plate 15, and the side flanges 39 and 41 to the jack studs 13/14 or king studs 17/18 and are secured to the header 16a/b, the sill plate 15, and the jack studs 13/14 or king studs 17/18 using a plurality of rust-proof fasteners (e.g., flat head screws or nails) 70 while maintaining the requisite gap in the range of ½ inch to ¾ inch between the window frame and the rough opening frame. As is discussed later, the methods of the present invention involve subsequently filling this gap with a foam 76 that further stabilizes the window in the rough opening and prevents infiltration of air and moisture into or through this gap. Page 5 line 9 add a, b to header 16, last line sheathing or structure. While not shown in
The process of the present invention further entails installing a rubber bonding tape 72 so that it extends over each of the plurality of flanges, each of the plurality of rust proof fasteners and a portion of the sheathing 24 of the wall at least one inch wide surrounding the flanges. Various types of bonding tape 72 may be employed. Such bonding tapes typically include a first layer of a suitable material and an adhesive layer. The first layer may be silicone rubber or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, for example. The bonding tape must be suitable for exterior application and have the capability of being installed over a suitable range of temperatures and capable of continuing to adhere over the full range of temperatures to which the bonding tape will be exposed throughout the life of the instillation. Thus, the specific type of bonding tape employed will depend climatic conditions and temperature variations reasonably anticipated at the location of the installation.
Further, the bonding tape 72 selected should also have excellent resistance to moisture and ultraviolent (UV) light, and non-reactive to solvents and other chemicals. A pressure sensitive adhesive will make installation of the bonding tape simpler and quicker than other types of adhesives. A suitable bonding tape properly applied will further couple the window to the surrounding structures of the building.
The process of the present invention further entails installing a building wrap 74 over the wall so that the building wrap extends over the window bonding tape 72 on all sides of the window. Building wraps in use today include asphalt-saturated felt or kraft paper, woven or nonwoven polymeric sheets, and liquid-applied polymer-asphalt membranes. Polymeric wraps are becoming more common. Woven polymeric wraps are made of crisscrossing plastic bonding tapes coated with a waterproof film and may be micro-perforated to allow vapor to pass. Polymeric wraps are suitable for use behind fiber cement siding, wood, and vinyl, the film can also include UV inhibitors if prolonged exposure during construction of the building is contemplated.
The process of the present invention also includes filling the gap between the window frame 32 and the rough opening frame 12 with a sprayed extruded water-resistant foam 76. As mentioned above, use of such a sprayed extruded water-resistant foam to fill the gap serves several purposes, including assisting in supporting the window 30 in the rough opening 10, preventing air and moisture migration in or out of the building, and reducing conductive flow of heat around the window. The sprayed extruded water-resistant foam 76 is preferably an extruded polystyrene (“XPS”) foam. XPS foam has a closed cell structure. Thus, XPS foam is significantly less permeable with respect to both moisture and air than open celled foams. XPS foam also has a higher load strength, in the range of 40 pounds per square inch, than open celled foams making the foam a more significant contributor to firmly supporting the window in the rough opening.
In addition to the foregoing, installation of the window 30 in the rough opening 10 may include holding the building wrap in place over the flange and rubber bonding tape using one or more pieces of exterior trim or wrap fasteners. Such wrap fasteners typically comprise a flat head nail passing through a plastic washer and are used to couple the building wrap to the jack studs 13 and 14. The header, flange and sill flange should be adapted to allow moisture reaching the zone between the bonding tape and building wrap to drain. Often, the flanges themselves are suitably shaped. In other cases, a window manufacturer will supply separate drip edges which should be installed per the window manufacturer's instructions.
Once the foregoing steps are completed, the interior and exterior portions of the wall are completed in any well-known manner. For example, sheetrock and window trim may be applied to the interior of the wall and window flashing, trim and siding may be applied to the exterior of the wall.
The foregoing features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and with reference to the following drawings in which like numerals in the several views refer to corresponding parts.
This description of the preferred embodiment is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. In the description, relative terms such as “lower”, “upper”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “above”, “below”, “up”, “down”, “top” and “bottom”, “under”, as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “downwardly”, “upwardly”, “underside”, etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms such as “connected”, “connecting”, “attached”, “attaching”, “joined”, and “joining” are used interchangeably and refer to one structure or surface being secured to another structure or surface or integrally fabricated in one piece unless expressly described otherwise.
As illustrated in
The window selected when performing the method of the present invention will have a perimeter of a first predetermined shape matching the predetermined shape of the rough opening and sized to fit in the rough opening. The size and shape of the window perimeter are defined to be a window frame.
When the present invention is employed, the window frame 32 and/or the rough opening 10 should be adapted such that window frame 32 fits into the rough opening 10 leaving a gap in the range of ½ inch to ¾ inch surrounding the window frame on all sides between the window frame and the rough opening framing. Also, the flanges and rough opening should be adapted so the flanges extend over a portion of the jack studs 13/14, sill plate 15 and header 16a/16b.
As indicated at step 54 in the flow chart of
At step 56, the window frame is secured in place to the rough opening frame while maintaining a gap in the range of ½ inch to ¾ inch surrounding the window frame between the window frame and the rough opening frame. The window is so secured to the rough opening frame by securing top flange 35 to the header 16a, the bottom flange 37 to the sill plate 15 or the cripple studs 19/20/21/22/23, and the side flanges 39 and 41 to the jack studs 13/14 or king studs 17/18. The flanges are so secured using a plurality of rust-proof fasteners (e.g., flat head screws or nails) 70 while maintaining the requisite gap in the range of ½ inch to ¾ inch between the window frame and the rough opening frame. The flanges may be provided with spaced slots (not shown) through which such screws or nails may pass through the underlying sheathing and into the underlying framing member. The flanges may be preinstalled at the window factory or installed at the job site depending on the window selected.
The process of the present invention further entails three key steps identified as steps 58, 60 and 62 in
Step 59 shown in
At step 60, a building wrap (74 in
At step 62, the gap between the window frame 32 and the rough opening frame 12 is filled with a sprayed extruded water-resistant foam 76. Use of such a sprayed extruded water-resistant foam (e.g., XPS foam) to fill this gap 100% serves several purposes. First, the foam is relatively stiff and firm after it sets up. As such, the foam assists with supporting the window 30 in the rough opening 10. Second, the foam prevents air and moisture migration in or out of the building. Third, the foam reduces conductive flow of heat around the window. The sprayed extruded water-resistant foam is preferably an extruded polystyrene foam. It can be used at the jams and sill bonding tape (same as the bonding tape used for the window to prevent tearing of the wrap before the outside studding is installed), at the head of the washer nail and nail or screw with the washer to prevent moisture from penetrating the substrate. This is a significant step that is not being done.
In addition to the foregoing, installation of the window 30 in the rough opening 10 may include having a building wrap 74 held in place over the rubber bonding tape 72 and flanges (e.g., 41) using one or more pieces of exterior trim or wrap fasteners. Such wrap fasteners typically comprise a flat head nail passing through a plastic washer.
Once the foregoing steps are completed, the interior and exterior portions of the wall are completed in any well-known manner at step 64. For example, sheetrock and window trim may be applied to the interior of the wall and window flashing, trim and siding may be applied to the exterior of the wall.
Within the scope of the following claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically shown in the drawings and described above. The methods may be used in connection with all buildings, new or old, residential or commercial. Likewise, the framing and sheathing may be made of any suitable material, for example, block concrete, poured concrete, wood, plastic, or other synthetic materials. The foregoing description is intended to explain the various features and advantages but is not intended to be limiting. From the foregoing, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the same methods may be used when installing doors and other devices on rough openings in walls. The methods of the present invention are likewise applicable to residential, commercial, and other buildings. The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims which are also intended to cover a reasonable range of equivalents.
