Flood flaps vent for sealed crawlspace

Abstract

A flood flaps vent for sealing a building crawlspace includes: (a) a vent box portion including open opposite front and rear ends on either end of a vent passageway, the vent box including a top box portion with at least one flap slot adjacent a rear end portion of the vent box, and an opposite bottom box portion; (b) at least one flexible flood flap extending across the open rear end portion, with its upper edge seated in the flap slot, other side flap edges of the flood flap being unattached; and (c) a grate portion over the open front end portion of the vent box; the flood flap occluding the rear end portion of the vent box when it is in an at rest, home position. This simplified abstract is not intended to limit, and should not be interpreted as limiting, the scope of the claims.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Technical Field[0002]The present invention relates to a crawlspace vent with flood flaps that permit flood waters to pass in and out of a sealed crawlspace under a building in the event of a flood, yet inhibit air flow through the sealed crawlspace the rest of the time.[0003]2. Background Information[0004]Many builders and homeowners in the last decade are realizing the advantages of sealing the crawlspace under their new construction, or converting the crawlspace under an existing building to a sealed crawlspace. With dehumidifiers operating in the crawlspace, usually under the control of a humidistat, such advantages include reduced humidity and a relatively constant temperature in the crawlspace, which result in lower heating and cooling bills for the building, reduced mold, fungus, and mildew under the building, and fewer problems from small animals entering through the crawlspace. Conventional air vents are disadvantageous with a sealed crawl...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]Advantages of the flood flaps vent of the present invention include the following: 1) allows building crawlspaces of buildings in flood plains to be air sealed yet comply with state and federal codes for crawlspace flood venting; 2) allows the homeowner to control humidity while minimizing the threat of loss of integrity of the building walls in the event of a flood; 3) the grate portion on the front of the flood flaps vent presents an aesthetically pleasing appearance to passers by, helps deter vandalism, and keeps out animals and other vermin; 4) double flaps in each flood flaps vent help maintain the house's thermal insulation throughout the sealed crawlspace; 5) the passageway interior of the flood flaps vent is sized to help prevent flood water from flowing between the layers of the building walls (e.g., block and brick) and causing water damage; and 6) the flood flaps vent is economical, especially when compared to the costs for flood damage that may occur if it is not employed.

Problems solved by technology

Conventional air vents are disadvantageous with a sealed crawlspace, because dehumidifiers under the building will not work as well with an influx of humid outside air entering the crawlspace through conventional air vents.

It has therefore been impossible to seal a crawlspace in a building on a flood plain heretofore while complying with government rules and regulations.

Up to this point, there have not been any cost-effective vents that obstruct air flow completely and provide insulation, yet allow water to flow into and out of a sealed crawlspace.

Unfortunately, the vents developed for flood purposes cannot provide the insulated and sealed conditions required by sealed crawlspace technology.

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