Stick and seal insulator

Abstract

A method and a system for reducing energy consumption, preventing excessive humidity and preventing contaminated air. The method includes locating the respective penetrations, applying an insulator sheet across the penetrations and sealing the surface of the sheets around the penetrations. The system includes a set of insulator sheets which prevents or substantially reduces the leakage of treated air from a home or other building through penetrations. Each insulator sheet in the set of insulator sheets in the form of a flexible, impervious cellular sheet with a fire retardant adhesive for sealing the respective sheets around the respective penetrations.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates to a system for reducing energy consumption, excessive indoor humidity and indoor and outdoor air pollutants in a home or building.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]Heat is lost through homes and other buildings in two ways—through thermal conduction and through air infiltration. With thermal conduction, heat is lost through the exterior envelope or “shell” of the house. This shell consists of the wood studding, sheathing, insulation, drywall or sheet and the external siding, i.e. brick, stone, or vinyl. The seal between the exterior environment and the interior living environment includes footings (and sub-surface drainage), below ground floors and walls, above ground walls, wall penetrations including windows, doors, etc. and the roof system. Air infiltration is the uncontrolled leakage of air through these seal openings in homes or buildings and can account for a large part of heat los...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0038]The present invention in its preferred form comprises a set of insulators in the form of a flexible, impervious cellular sheet dimensioned to cover the area surrounding openings through which treated air may leak to flow to the outside environment, voids, attics and or dead spaces in a home or other building, with an adhesive on the sheet to seal the sheet to the walls, floors and ceilings though which the opening extends. The preferred form of the invention further provides a set of such insulators for preventing untreated air to flow from the outside environment, into a home or other building. The insulators according to the preferred form of the invention should not allow small openings for passage of air therethrough, because not only is the passage of air cumulative for all of the insulators, but any opening is liable to grow in size as air passes through it. The insulators can be pre-cut, or custom cut by the installer. The adhesive preferably has a peel-off, protective cover to prevent premature adhesion of the adhesive to other objects, or the adhesion of d

Problems solved by technology

With thermal conduction, heat is lost through the exterior envelope or “shell” of the house.

Air infiltration is the uncontrolled leakage of air through these seal openings in homes or buildings and can account for a large part of heat loss in a typical home or building.

When discussing air infiltration and energy savings, it is actually a substantial portion of treated air in homes and buildings that is often wasted.

Due to the ever increasing cost of energy, this substantial portion of treated air which is wasted is having a larger and larger economic impact on homeowners and building owners.

Likewise, properly dehumidified air can inadvertently leave the home or building, and air untreated for humidity can inadvertently enter the home or building.

Similarly, contaminated air can inadvertently enter a home or building.

The drafts from outside that flow through the inside walls via electrical, cable, telephone and plumbing penetrations, leak through the interior outlets and switches which contaminate the treated air of a home or building.

Thus, sealing electrical penetrations are not seriously considered for reducing air infiltration.

Another problem besides air infiltration in a home or building is excessive indoor humidity.

Some new high efficiency air conditioners can contribute to excessive indoor humidity which can lead to unhealthy mold growth in homes.

Many new air conditioners simply do not remove the humidity that the old air conditioners did.

High levels of indoor mold can cause serious health problems, including allergic reactions, toxic reactions, asthma episodes, infections and respiratory damage.

Comfort inside a home or building also suffers when an air conditioner cannot control indoor humidity.

It is not uncommon for occupants in a home or building to find that they are not comfortable at various times of the day or cooling seasons.

Although the air conditioner is controlling the temperature, the indoor humidity is bouncing up and down, typically from 45% to 75%, which affects the comfort of a home or building.

When indoor humidity levels are too high, a person's ski

Images