House wrap with integral furring strips
There is disclosed a furring strip system wherein furring strips are pre-attached to at least one side of a water resistive barrier (WRB—sometimes referred to as “Housewrap”) to promote drainage and drying between the exterior siding or cladding and the underlying wall construction. The furring strips themselves may be ventilated vertically through a series of abutting internal cavities extending across its width or vertical ridges. The furring strip system is installed on a structure simultaneously with the WRB, and before the exterior cladding or siding is installed to enhance drainage and drying of that area thus helping to eliminate the problems associated with water accumulation, such as deterioration of the underlying components, microbial growth, mold and related problems to the structure and its inhabitants.
The present invention relates to exterior walls of building structures, primarily residential structures, wherein specific measures have been taken to ensure that the wall area between the exterior siding and the sheathing therebeneath can be dry and free of water buildup.
We are all aware of the damage that water penetration can cause including structural rotting, mildew formation, mold or mold spores may penetrate into the interior of a structure and can cause adverse health consequences for the occupants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a method and apparatus for ensuring that water entrapped between a structure's sheathing and its exterior cladding or siding is eliminated by means of drainage and drying of the area therebetween. This is accomplished through the use of a conventional water resistive barrier (WRB—also sometimes referred to as “Housewrap”) with furring strips attached to at least one side of the WRB. By using a furring strip on each side of the WRB, the distance between the sheathing and the siding or cladding is doubled to approximately 6-8 mm. The furring strips are placed approximately eight inches apart with the passages extending parallel to their vertical orientation, thus promoting draining and drying which helps prevent the accumulation of water between the sheathing and cladding.
DISCUSSION OF KNOWN PRIOR ARTA recent search of the Patent Office files in the appropriate Class and subclasses revealed the following prior art:
- U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,383—issued to Richard J. Morris et al on Sep. 6, 2005—discloses a vented furring strip that is used to ventilate the area between the sheathing of a residence and the exterior siding or cladding and eliminate any moisture or water from therebetween. The elongate furring strips are installed as separate pieces on the first layer of a wall and covered with an exterior siding. The furring strips space the siding apart from the sheathing, forming a plurality of enclosed cavities or air spaces. The cavities are in fluid communication with each other through air passages in the furring strips that extend transversely to a longitudinal axis of the furring strip, i.e. these passages through the furring strips are horizontally disposed and serve to connect the cavities that are formed between adjacent furring strips thus providing ventilation of the entire area. By allowing air to enter the cavities between adjacent furring strips, there is a total or complete ventilation of the area between the sheathing and the exterior siding, thus the problems associated with water and moisture such mildew, rotting, mold and mold spores becomes moot.
- U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,193—issued to Richard J. Morris on Mar. 19, 2002—discloses a roof batten for use in spacing tiles or similar exterior roofing members from a roof overlayment. This “batten” is structurally the same as the “furring strips” referred to in Morris, '383 immediately above.
- U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,668—issued to Richard J. Morris on Jul. 31, 2001—discloses a roof vent formed by utilizing a pair of spaced ventilation devices 50 that are advantageously disposed between installed sheets 20 and ridge cap 22 to insure that air exchange proximate peak 14 between the interior and exterior of roof will occur within vent 50.
Although these three references discloses ventilated furring strips, batten strips, and ridge vent spacer strips they each rely on cavities that are within the strips that are transverse to the longitudinal axis of the various strips. Further, these three patents are all directed to the use of furring strips installed individually in the field whereas the subject matter of the instant invention provides a series of furring strips that are pre-attached to at least one side of conventional water resistive barrier (WRB) in the factory and automatically spaced and installed when the WRB is installed in the field. Additionally, the instant invention provides air passages or ridges that extend along the longitudinal axis, vertically disposed, which helps to promote drainage and drying longitudinally and prevents water from migrating laterally between the furring strips.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the invention is to provide a water resistive barrier (WRB) with furring strips for draining and drying the area between the exterior sheathing and the exterior cladding or siding.
Another object of the invention is to provide a WRB with furring strips that have been previously attached to the WRB, which facilitates placement and spacing of the furring strips at the same time the WRB is installed.
A further object of the invention is to attach the furring strips to any type of WRB, such as commercially available housewraps, regardless of the material composition of the WRB or furring strip.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a house wrap that includes furring strips that will help ensure that water will not accumulate between the structure's sheathing and the WRB or the WRB and the exterior cladding.
A further object of the invention is to provide vertical passageways or ridges to help promote drainage and drying longitudinally in the wall assembly.
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent hereinafter. The instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters designate the corresponding parts throughout the several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the words which have been used are words of description rather than words of limitation and that changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the full scope or spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims, and not by the foregoing specification.
Claims
1: An improved water resistive barrier (WRB) for use in frame construction wherein said WRB includes means for ensuring drainage and drying of unwanted water between the underlying structure and exterior siding of a building; said WRB comprising:
- flexible water resistive barrier sheet material;
- said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material having a plurality of previously attached spaced furring strips on at least one side thereof;
- said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material providing drainage and drying in the gap formed between the exterior facing surface of said underlying structure and said inward facing surface of said siding when said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material and said plurality of furring strips thereon is installed therebetween.
2: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said WRB and attached furring strips are presented in continuous roll form.
3: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said furring strips are provided on both sides of said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material.
4: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 2 wherein said furring strips are provided on both sides of said continuous roll.
5: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said furring strips include ventilation means formed by longitudinal passageways within the strip and extending along the length thereof.
6: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 5 wherein said ventilation means are formed as grooves in said furring strips.
7: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 6 wherein said furring strips abutting said sheathing of said house are narrower than the furring strips on the opposite side.
8: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 7 wherein said furring strips are disposed in opposition to each other with their vertical centerlines directly opposite each other.
9: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 3 wherein said furring strips are attached by ultrasonic welding.
10: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 3 wherein said furring strips are adhesively attached to said WRB.
11: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 3 wherein said furring strips are mechanically to attached to said WRB.
12: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 4 wherein said furring strips are attached by ultrasonic welding.
13: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 4 wherein said furring strips are adhesively attached to said WRB.
14: An improved WRB for use in flame construction as defined in claim 4 wherein said furring strips are mechanically attached to said WRB.
15: An improved WRB for use in frame construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said plurality of spaced furring strips are free of ventilating passageways.
16: An improved water resistive barrier (WRB) for use in frame construction wherein said WRB includes means for ensuring drainage and drying of unwanted water between the underlying structure and exterior siding of a building; said WRB comprising:
- flexible water resistive barrier sheet material;
- said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material having a plurality of previously attached spaced furring strips on at least one side thereof;
- said flexible water resistive sheet material having a first flap portion at the beginning of said sheet with additional flap portions located oppositely at the top and bottom portions of said WRB sheet;
- said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material providing drainage and drying in the gap formed between the exterior facing surface of said underlying structure and said inward facing surface of said siding when said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material and said plurality of furring strips thereon is installed therebetween.
17: A method of draining and drying the underlying structure between the sheathing and exterior siding of a frame construction building said method comprising the following steps:
- a. providing a roll of flexible water resistive barrier sheet material with furring strips attached to both sides thereof with a flap portion on opposite sides of said water resistive barrier sheet material due to staggered placement of said furring strips;
- b. applying a first row of said roll of flexible water resistive barrier sheet material with attached furring strips by starting at a corner of said building with the bottom of said furring strips aligned with the frame structure of said building leaving a top flap portion of said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material exposed;
- c. after installing said first row of flexible water resistive barrier sheet material, begin installing a second row of said roll of flexible water resistive barrier sheet material by overlapping said top flap portion in step (b);
- d. after installing said roll of flexible water resistive barrier sheet material, repeat the procedure followed in step(c) followed by successive repeats until one face of said building is completed followed by successive repeats of steps (a) through (d) on each of the remaining sides of the building until completed.
18: An improved water resistive barrier for use in frame construction wherein said WRB includes means for ensuring drainage and drying of unwanted water between the underlying structure and exterior siding of said building; said WRB comprising:
- a roll of flexible water resistive barrier sheet material having a first and second side and a top and bottom portion;
- said roll of flexible water resistive sheet material having a plurality of spaced furring strips attached to opposite sides of said flexible water resistive sheet material;
- said furring strips on said first side of said water resistive barrier sheet material having a first end aligned with said bottom of said water resistive barrier sheet material and a second opposite end of said furring strip terminating short of said top of said water resistive barrier sheet material leaving a top flap portion unsupported by said furring strip; and
- said furring strips on said second side of said water resistive barrier sheet material having a first aligned with said top of said water resistive barrier sheet material and terminating short of said bottom of said water resistive barrier sheet material leaving a bottom flap portion unsupported by said second furring strip;
- said first and second furring strips arranged in overlapping, staggered fashion and each successive row allows said offset furring strips to become aligned and continuous.
19: An improved water resistive barrier for use in frame construction wherein said WRB includes means for ensuring drainage and drying of unwanted water between the underlying structure and exterior siding of said building; said WRB comprising:
- a flexible water resistive barrier sheet material having a first and second side and a top and bottom portion;
- said flexible water resistive sheet material having a plurality of spaced furring strips attached to opposite sides of said flexible water resistive sheet material;
- said furring strips on said first side of said water resistive barrier sheet material having a first end aligned with said bottom of said water resistive barrier sheet material and a second opposite end of said furring strip terminating short of said top of said water resistive barrier sheet material leaving a top flap portion unsupported by said furring strip; and
- said furring strips on said second side of said water resistive barrier sheet material having a first end aligned with said top of said water resistive barrier sheet material and terminating short of said bottom of said water resistive barrier sheet material leaving a bottom flap portion unsupported by said second furring strip;
- said first and second furring strips arranged in overlapping, staggered fashion and each row allows said offset furring strips to become aligned and continuous.
20: An improved WRB for use in frame construction wherein said WRB includes means for ensuring drainage and drying of unwanted water between the underlying structure and exterior siding of a building; said WRB comprising:
- flexible water resistive barrier sheet material;
- said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material having a plurality of previously attached spaced furring strips on at least one side thereof;
- said flexible resistive barrier sheet material providing drainage and drying in the gap formed between the exterior facing surface of said underlying structure and said inward facing surface of said siding when said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material and said plurality of furring strips there on is installed therebetween; and
- said furring strips including ventilation means formed within the strips and continuing along the length thereof.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 21, 2005
Publication Date: May 24, 2007
Inventor: Mark Williams (Maple Glen, PA)
Application Number: 11/283,082
International Classification: E04B 1/70 (20060101);