GB2439084A

GB2439084A - A tubular insert for drying walls

Info

Publication number: GB2439084A
Application number: GB0611924A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey Ian Charlton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-06-16
Filing date: 2006-06-16
Publication date: 2007-12-19
Also published as: GB0611924D0

Abstract

A tubular insert for fitting into a wall or the cavity of a building is formed of a ceramic/earthenware material. Fitted with a radially extending flange the device is positioned on the interior or exterior of the wall. Moisture is drawn from the wall into the tubular member and released to the atmosphere in the interior of the tube or at the flange. The device may be open at at least one end, or may be solid with both ends closed.

Description

Description Moisture Removal System, Insert & Method

BACKGROUND

There is a growing concern regarding health and structural integrity of homes and buildings affected by damp or moisture penetration.This problem is often exasperated by moisture build up from internal sources and condensation generally caused by thermal bridges or poor ventilation, often the result of increased insulation and lowered air exchanges. The sum effect can be seen in the form of finish failure such as paint or plaster delaminating, caused by differential expansion, swelling or mould and rot proliferation. Health problems are increasingly associated with mould growth both visible and invisible, often in voids or cavity construction. There is also a clear problem with drying flood affected buildings where historic methods of drying revolve around moisture removal through dehumidifiers. This system is slow and most importantly it dries the inside wall last as moisture is pulled inside towards the dehumidifier.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a method of moisture removal from cavities, voids, rising damp and general moisture ingress from capillary action or moisture bridges condensation or leaks. The method involves inserting a moisture bridge capable of adsorption and drying through advection (the removal of moisture through air movement).

This invention will assist in the control of moisture within a building by allowing removal of moisture by evaporation through designed and installed "moisture bridge inserts. These inserts will bridge non porous or impermeable surface finishes or route moisture removal through non permeable or hydrophobic materials by providing a hydrophilic bridge.

Moisture Intrusion Water is known as the universal solvent and is a requirement of all life forms.

Uncontrolled water or moisture inside a building will result in a variety of both construction defects and health problems. Problems of excessive moisture in buildings are getting worse almost daily as governments and home owners strive to manage energy and more importantly its loss prevention. This has generally taken the form of insulation and double glazing. The end result is a tight box where ventilation has been replaced with energy efficiency.

a. Energy Efficiency This has seen gas and electricity use fall almost in direct relationship with the increase in asthma as closed box, poorly ventilated buildings save money on heating by reducing air leakage in or reduced air exchanges. Sick building Syndrome (SBS) is a relatively new complaint seen to evolve since the 1976 oil embargo and 3 day week where energy efficiency first started to be developed. The SBS term was replaced by environmental health professionals with lBS tight building syndrome as they recognised the core cause.

b. TBS & Moisture The significance of a tight building is that moisture which is released into the air may not be removed by adequate ventilation which will result in the moisture being adsorbed by hydroscopic materials such as wood and fabrics. Although air movement is important the major cause of concern is wet building materials which remain wet for more than a few days. Wet materials especially those with cellulose content will develop mould which is now universally accepted as a major health threat.

see www.disasteradvice.co. uk/mould Excess Moisture problems These can be assessed from the following causes.

Moisture intrusion This is where water or moisture ingress occurs either by flooding, leakage or capillary action usually associated with rising damp.

Moisture production This is where moisture is developed in the day to day running of the building. It can be from washing, cooking and even breathing.

Construction Damage Water damage can occur quickly or over time. Although drying out can remove water it cannot always reverse material damage such as swelling, shrinkage, rot and decay. Examples of problems encountered are: a. Swollen & sticking doors and windows b. Mould and musty odour c. Plaster and paint finish failure d. Delamination of jointed finishes e. Furniture & skirting joint failure Measurement Water activity (aW) Water activity is generally seen as the movement of moisture at the surface of a wet substrate and the significance is in the amount released or more importantly trapped or adsorbed. This can be greatly influenced by surface coating or finishes which may not be permeable.

Relative humidity (Rh) This term is used to measure the amount of water the air can hold at any specific temperature. The warmer air is the more water it can hold so the Rh will fall. The relative humidity is a percentage of how much water the air can hold Specific Humidity This is the total quantity of moisture held in the air and is measured in micrograms or Grains in the USA.

Moisture content This can be one of the most important measurements undertaken. Typical moisture of wood is around 10% with 15 % capable of developing mould. Masonry and plaster cannot be measured with normal meters accurately but do provide comparisons with dryer or non affected areas. Mould

Mould is natures clean up organism and is ubiquitous. The spores are always airborne but when they settle on wet materials they are activated by moisture.

Mould usually forms when temperatures are over 18 degrees and Rh over 60% however mould can grow in refrigerators and although it usually prefers or causes the most damage to cellulose based material (wood, paper, some materials, leather) it can grow on almost any surface or bio-film.

During its growth it can produce mycotoxins which are released and these are generally seen as harmful. Although some moulds are known as "Toxic" all moulds are accepted as allergenic and exposure can and usually does result in either acute, (short term) health effects or chronic (long term) illness which invariably results in extreme sensitivity even when away from the source.

Health Effects People living or working in buildings with excess moisture with suitable mould growth conditions can be expected to be affected by either acute or chronic health effects i. Flu like symptoms ii. Itchy or soar eyes iii. Depression iv. Achy limbs v. Nose bleeds vi. Coughing up blood (4 Although the above symptoms are extremely common some of the toxic moulds can produce life threatening effects such as; vii. Brain tumour viii. Liver and lung cancer ix. Spontaneous abortion

HYPOTHESIS

That modern construction techniques coupled to applied finishes has created a moisture sink, or virtual reservoir where increasingly trapped water has a combination of material and structural destruction and probable health effects. This damage is seen to materialise in rot, mould, plaster, paint, or general finish failure.

Significance The use of the moisture bridge removes or drastically reduces the potential for long term rot, damp and mould problems, as part of an installed moisture removal system, this will reduce or eliminate maintenance, mould and rot development and where installed in usually damp buildings reduce or eliminate health issues usually associated with mould and toxic mould.

Brief discussion of the drawings Fig 1 is a plan view from the side of a moisture bridge insert in accordance with the invention Fig are end and side plan views of the flange being part of the moisture bridge insert in accordance with the invention.

Fig 3 are end and side plan views of an alternative moisture bridge insert having a closed tube in accordance with the invention System Benefits Once installed the system and product continues to work without maintenance or additional cost. The system and product where installed correctly can be used either as a maintenance system or a flood recovery product. The use of the innovation as a water damage restoration product revolves around the fact that it assists and works with natural drying procedures. The innovative product can replace forced dehumidification which works against accepted physics of thermo and hydrodynamics where hot goes to cold and wet goes to dry. The innovative product reverses the usually accepted drying process of drying from the outside in to drying buildings from the inside out; thereby allowing restoration of internal water damaged surfaces must faster.

Process The use of horizontal capillary action through installed axis, coupled to "advection" or evaporation caused by encouraged air movement by natural or engineered methods.

Product efficacy The innovation utilises the known capabilities of water movement from capillary action through a vector agent of porous moisture bridges comprising ceramic! earthenware tubes and flanges which are installed into wet or prone surfaces. These moisture bridge inserts collect moisture at the point of contact and through its hydrophilic components allow the moisture to travel along to an evaporation point where normal or engineered air movement dries the designed flange or moist air from within the open end of the tube. This drying process occurs at the external end of the tube at the designed flange where surface areas are increased to allow greater evaporation. The drying of the external end of the tube and flange causes encouraged capillary action from the other or wet end of the tube or attached flange.

This will result in moisture being drawn to the dryer area of the wet wall or surface where the moisture bridge is inserted. This in turn will remove moisture along the tube and the process will result in moisture being continuously removed and replaced thereby drying or controlling the moisture content of the contact surface area. This process relies upon the known physics of hydrodynamics where wet goes to dry and thermal dynamics where hot goes to cold.

Product design innovation The innovation lies in the design and fitting of the moisture bridge inserts. Capillary action is a known process in wet or moist buildings (designated as high specific humidity or elevated moisture content) but is usually associated with the spreading of moisture and not removal. While capillary action could be seen to move water it cannot control it course. The moisture bridge insert controls the moisture route by innovative design. This innovative design revolves around its ability to maximise surface contact and bridge moisture barriers to allow moisture release. While tubes can access buildings they must not be a route into areas for insects or rodents. The closed end at one end of the tube design prevents this.

Relevance of design Modern construction techniques and materials have resulted in non permeable surface finishes and difficult access to moisture damaged surfaces. Typically cavity walls, hollow block and brick coupled with non permeable paints, wall papers have resulted in difficulty in access to dry. Timber frame buildings with designed vapour barriers cannot easily be accessed either and intrusion into damaged areas is usually undertaken after extensive damage has been identified. The moisture bridge inserts reduce this risk by simple access and sealed perimeters to prevent moisture ingress.

Installation The placement areas of the moisture bridge inserts either internally or externally will depend on building design, construction and type of heating or cooling climate.

Claims

Claims 1. A moisture bridge insert comprising a tubular member of water

absorbing material, the tubular member being open at at least one end and including a flange extending radially out from the tubular member.

2. The moisture bridge insert of claim 1 wherein the tubular member comprises porous material.

3. The moisture bridge insert of claim 1 wherein the tubular material member comprises a hydrophilic material 4. The moisture bridge insert of claim 1 wherein the tubular member comprises a clay material 5. A method of removing moisture from a building comprising mounting one or more moisture bridge inserts into a wall or cavity of the building, each moisture bridge insert comprising a tubular member of moisture adsorbing material and a radially extending flange, the tube member being open at at least one end with the open end being positioned on the either interior or exterior of the wall whereby moisture in the wall is drawn into the tubular member and released to the atmosphere in the interior of the tube or at the flange.

6. The moisture bridge subject to characteristics of 1 to 5 is solid with both ends closed and designed to route condensation out and away by dissipation or leakage.