Stick and seal insulator

- Airtite Systems LLC

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.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a system for reducing energy consumption, excessive indoor humidity and indoor and outdoor air pollutants in a home or building.

2. Description of the Prior Art

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 loss in a typical home or building. These openings, also referred to as penetrations, are located in the exterior of home or building as well as in the interior—which is a very important part of the present invention.

When discussing air infiltration and energy savings, it is actually a substantial portion of treated air in homes and buildings that is often wasted. Treated air is air that is heated or cooled by various heating units or air conditioners used in homes and buildings, and air that is humidified or dehumidified by humidifiers or dehumidifiers. 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.

Air infiltration (“air infiltration” refers to the inadvertent air flowing into and out of a home or building) occurs when differences in air pressure between the exterior and interior of a home or building, allow too much treated air to exit or too much outside air to easily enter and contaminate the treated air. Because of direct exposure to hot and cold winds, drafts occurring from convection and temperature differentials from the inside and outside, the outside walls of a home or building are exposed to air attempting to enter the home or building. 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 most common openings are those created by the joining of dissimilar building materials including:

    • 1. windows and doors and their framing
    • 2. electrical, cable, telephone and plumbing penetrations
    • 3. foundations and sill plates
    • 4. sub floors and band joists
    • 5. air duct joints in unheated spaces
    • 6. HVAC systems
    • 7. fireplaces and chimneys
      FIG. 4 shows a front view of a typical home showing the typical areas of air infiltration illustrated by arrows. 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. All of a home's or building's outlets and switches allow drafts.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, up to 40% of a home's heat loss can result from air infiltration. The main route for infiltration through the insulated stud cavity area of exterior walls is through electrical outlets. Building scientists and HVAC industry experts who study air infiltration, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy, believe that this leakage amounts to only 1% to 4% of a typical home's total infiltration. Since air infiltration accounts for up to 40% of a home's total heat loss, electrical outlet infiltration is responsible for 4% of 40%, or about 1.6% of a home's total heat loss. This 1.6% has been rounded to 2% as shown in FIG. 6. According to the building scientists and HVAC industry experts, this small amount of infiltration can be virtually eliminated by providing a gasket between the electrical outlet cover and the electrical box.

Michigan Technical University recently conducted a study to identify the sources of air leakage caused by air infiltration. The study was known as the Green Ghent Project and sought to reduce the energy wasted by air infiltration. The findings developed were similar to the Department of Energy's conclusions and were published on Mar. 6, 2008 at http://greenghent.wordpress.com/. The pie chart shown in FIG. 6 was created by the U.S. Department of Energy, and shows that electrical outlets account for 2% of home air leaks. Thus, sealing electrical penetrations are not seriously considered for reducing air infiltration. Because of this small percentage of supposed energy savings by sealing of the electrical penetrations, building scientists and HVAC industry experts focused on the more traditional sources of air infiltration which included leaks in the windows, attic, floors, ceilings and walls. Also, many building scientists and HVAC industry experts state that only outside walls need sealing because that is where the outside air penetrates into the home. Therefore, electrical penetrations are often ignored since they are located mostly in the interior of a home or building.

In association with air filtration as mentioned above, wasted treated air in a home or building includes in large part air that passes through and between walls, floors and ceilings through openings therethrough, often in openings for holding electrical devices, such as sockets for electrical plugs, electrical switches, indicators such as thermometers, speakers, security devices and the like. Treated air often escapes through the walls, floors or ceilings to the outside environment, or to voids and dead spaces in the building, such as attics where treated air is not necessary.

Another problem besides air infiltration in a home or building is excessive indoor humidity. The primary source of moisture inside a home or building is the outside air leaking into the house, which contains high levels of humidity in the form of invisible water vapor. 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. Controlling indoor moisture and humidity is the key to controlling mold. The American Lung Association, the American Medical Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers For Disease Control and many other authorities recommend keeping the relative humidity level in your home between 30% and 50% year round. Higher levels encourage allergy causing dust mites, mold growth and musty odors. 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 skin cannot evaporate moisture as well, which leads to discomfort. Some new air conditioning systems can allow up to 80% humidity.

Some air leaks in a home or building can also bring in contaminated air rather than fresh air. This is due to the fact that the incoming air first passes through the attached garage, crawlspaces, basement or attic. Air pollutants such as mold spores, crawlspace moisture, insulation fibers, carbon monoxide, automobile exhaust, radon gas or volatile organic chemicals can contaminate this incoming air, and negatively affect the health and safety of the home or building's occupants. Finding and fixing these leaks that allow in contaminated air will make a home or building healthier, less humid in the summer, less dusty, more comfortable and reduce energy heating, cooling and repair bills.

A computerized diagnostic instrument that measures air leakage is the Infiltrometer which was invented by U.S. Department of Energy scientists. A blower door test is done using the Infiltrometer to receive an exact measurement of the home or building's air tightness. Some homes or buildings are very air tight and require improved ventilation. However, most homes or buildings are too leaky, which causes excessive summer heat and humidity, dry air and cold drafts in the winter, creating uncomfortable rooms, excessive dust, and high heating and cooling bills year round.

A device for preventing the passage of treated air through some of the electrical openings in a home or building has been the incorporation of flexible, cellular sheet products or insulators which were installed, for example, on the inside of a wall plate. Wall plates are also referred to as socket plates, switch plates and face plates. The cellular sheet product or wall plate insulation is also referred to as socket insulation, socket gaskets, switch insulation and switch gaskets. These flexible cellular sheet products or insulators are typically made of petroleum products which are not environment friendly and cannot be recycled because they are not fabricated from renewable resources. It was believed that use of an insulating sheet product on the inside surfaces of a socket plate, combined with a false plug for blocking the passages for the receptacles for an electrical plug, would largely block the passage of treated air through the opening for the socket assembly. Other electrical and plumbing penetrations were ignored since it was believed that the latter penetrations were minor, because sealing electrical penetrations only accounted for 2% of air leaks. (“Insulators” or “insulator sheets” as used herein means flexible, cellular sheet products which are pre-cut, or cut by the user, to cover penetrations in a home or other building to prevent the flow of air or other gas therethrough.)

U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,137 to Close discloses a gasket for sealing around an electrical box wall opening to prevent air infiltration. The gasket is made of a thin sheet of flexible, air impervious material slightly larger than the wall opening and slightly smaller than the cover plate for the device and having at least one opening therein for receiving a portion of the device which protrudes from the box and through a corresponding opening in the cover plate. The sheet includes a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side for sealing engagement with the wall surface surrounding the opening therein and with the surface of the device facing the cover plate. The gasket can be made of a suitable plastic material having flame retardant properties to prevent electrical fire.

However, Close only discloses gaskets for electrical sockets and switches. In fact, a home has numerous electrical penetrations in addition to electrical sockets and switches. These additional electrical penetrations include cable lines, telephone lines, Ethernet lines, speakers, intercoms, radios, etc. In fact, any penetration created from a hole in a wall or floor can be a pathway for air infiltration. Sealing only some, but not all, of the penetrations of a home does not reduce air infiltration, since treated air will find another open pathway to escape if only some pathways are sealed. Therefore, preventing air infiltration can only be achieved by sealing all of the penetrations of an entire home, which is not taught or suggested by Close. Furthermore, as discussed later in the present application, industry experts which include building scientists and HVAC experts believe it is insignificant to attempt to reduce air infiltration by sealing all of the electrical outlets since electrical outlets only account for 2% of typical air leaks in a home as shown in FIG. 6. Although mentioned by Close, existing gaskets sold on the market do not use an adhesive. The reason for this is because no one has ever specifically measured the amount of air infiltration coming from these penetrations because it was thought to be insignificant. Thus, no one bothered to expand or improve the product. Thus, Close (which issued in 1979) combined with what is known in the art, does not teach or suggest sealing all of the penetrations of an entire home or building. Furthermore, for almost 30 years, no one is believed to have attempted to focus on the result of sealing all electrical penetrations, since sealing electrical outlets appears to have only a very small effect on reducing air infiltration. Thus, the present invention is non-obviousness from prior technology in this field and yields unexpected results when the present invention was actually tested based on these well known industry principles.

As mentioned above, sealing the additional penetrations such as plumbing, cable and telephone penetrations are not discussed in Close. Thus, Close is silent on a process for sealing the entire home and lacks a device to seal all of the penetrations of a home or building. Additionally, Close does not disclose the prevention of excessive indoor humidity and contaminated air from indoor and outdoor pollutants, which can have a significant impact on the health of the individuals residing in a home or occupying building.

Furthermore, Close is also silent on including a flame retardant in the adhesive itself. Since the adhesive is facing the electrical box, it is the first material that would be affected by any electrical fire. If the adhesive is not flame retardant, it does not matter that the gasket is flame retardant. It is well known that products are certified by United Laboratories (UL) for their safety, including flame retardant properties. A UL certification would require a fully fire retardant product. Adhesive Transfer Tape 467MP, a 3M product, is one such product that is a fire retardant adhesive. The potentially dangerous problem was never considered by Close.

Accordingly, there is a need for a device and a process to seal all of the penetrations of an entire home or building which can prevent unwanted air infiltration, reduce excessive indoor humidity and air pollutants which can cause contaminated air and reduce energy costs associated with the heating and cooling of a home or building.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to prevent or substantially reduce the leakage of treated air caused by air infiltration from an entire home or other entire building through openings which the present inventor has found should be sealed, such as openings for electrical apparatus, including sockets, switches, telecommunication devices and speakers, and openings for pipes and other conduits.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent or substantially reduce excessive indoor humidity from an entire home or other entire building.

Still another object of the present invention is to prevent or substantially reduce contaminated air from entering an entire home or other entire building.

Yet another object is to prevent or substantially reduce the leakage of treated air from an entire home or entire building caused by air infiltration as set forth above through an effective and efficient product which can be produced economically at high volume.

It is a further object to provide an insulator for preventing or substantially reducing the leakage of treated air caused by air infiltration from or into an entire home or other entire building by a product which is easy to use.

Still another object is to reduce the cost of energy for treating air for an entire home or other entire building, much of the treatment of air being wasted due to air infiltration or air leaking through openings in the home or building which are not intended to allow the flow of treated air therethrough.

Another object is to provide an insulator for sealing the space around existing pipes and other conduits, and existing electrical cables and other electrical lines used for an entire home or other entire building which can be easily applied without removing the pipes, conduits and lines.

Still another object is to provide an insulator for sealing the space around any type of penetration in a home or building which can be custom made at the time of installation to conform to the configuration of the penetration, and can be easily applied without a skilled installer.

An additional object is to provide a process for preventing energy loss caused by air infiltration or the flow of treated air through openings not intended to conduct treated air in or from an entire home or other entire building, such as openings for electrical apparatus, pipes and other conduits.

Still another object is to provide an insulator for an entire home or other entire building which can be made from hemp or recycled materials, thus providing an environmentally friendly “green” product.

These and other objects are accomplished from the invention described below and from the appended claims.

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 dirt or dust to the adhesive, prior to the intended use of the insulator. The adhesive preferably is flame retardant since it may be directly exposed to electrical wires. Any open portions of the home or other building which could serve as ports for treated air leakage from a home or building, or for untreated air paths into a home or building, such ports and paths including socket holes when a plug is not being used in the socket, are closed by such an insulator. As explained in detail, the invention provides reductions in air infiltration by as much as 19% for electrical penetrations, and it has been established that normal air infiltration through electrical outlets has an industrial average of 2%. Thus, the term “to prevent or substantially reduce air infiltration” as used herein with respect to electrical penetrations means in the range of 2%-19%. The air infiltration is reduced by as much as 2% for plumbing penetrations, and the term “to prevent or substantially reduce air infiltration” as used herein with respect to plumbing penetrations means in the range of 0%-2%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrical penetration and a cellular sheet according to the prior art.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of FIG. 1 in an unexploded view.

FIG. 2 is a magnified view of the circular area shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a typical house showing air infiltration illustrated by arrows.

FIG. 5A is a plan view of an embodiment of an aspect of the invention for use with a cable electrical socket.

FIG. 5B is a plan view of an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use with a plumbing line such as a water line.

FIG. 5C is a plan view of an embodiment of still another aspect of the invention for use with an alternate plumbing line such as a waste line.

FIG. 5D is a plan view of an embodiment of yet another aspect of the present invention for use with a telephone cable.

FIG. 5E is a plan view of an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention for use with a GFI outlet.

FIG. 5F is a plan view of an embodiment of still another aspect of the invention for use with a double electrical outlet.

FIG. 5G is a plan view of an embodiment of still a further aspect of the invention for use with a double electrical switch.

FIG. 5H is a plan view of an embodiment of yet another aspect of the invention for use with a single electrical switch and single electrical outlet.

FIG. 5I is a plan view of an embodiment of a further aspect of the invention for use with a single electrical outlet and showing the adhesive being partially peeled from the corner of the cellular sheet.

FIG. 5J is a plan view of an embodiment of still a further aspect of the invention for use with a single electrical switch.

FIG. 6 is a pie chart showing the sources of home air leaks according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1, 1A, 2 and 3 show the prior art wherein a plate 1 has positioned on its wall-facing surface a flexible, cellular sheet 3 for covering an opening 5 around a socket 7. Socket 7 is housed in an electrical box 10 via screws 12 received by holes 13. Plate 1 and sheet 3 have aligned openings 9 and 11 exposing only socket 7, but not exposing opening 5.

FIG. 2 shows a magnified or enlarged portion shown by the circle in FIG. 1A. Plate 1 is not shown in FIG. 2. What the present inventor found, of which no one was previously aware, is the presence of uneven portions of the walls, floors or ceilings which are treated air pathways 15 though which treated air from a room or the like in the building can leak into opening 5, and which causes substantially large losses of treated air and the energy costs associated therewith. (Likewise, untreated air can flow into such a room or the like.) It is well known that due to structural imperfections in a home or building, walls, floors and ceilings are not perfectly flat but rather possess uneven or irregular portions. The result of these uneven or irregular portions affect how the electrical outlets, switches, cable lines, Ethernet lines, speakers, radios, plumbing fixtures are housed in the penetrations. For example, if the wall is uneven around an electrical penetration, the plate 1 will not fit flush against the wall. Since cellular sheet 3 is adhered to the electrical outlet 7 and not plate 1, a gap will be created between cellular sheet 3 and plate 1. This gap leads to the creation of pathway 15, which results from air passing through the penetration as shown in FIG. 3. Pathway 15 is only shown schematically, since they are very difficult to view and can only be detected by controlled tests using pressurized air flowing into a building or part thereof.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of cellular sheet 3 showing pathway 15. Every pathway severely limits the usefulness of existing insulators, since treated air rushes through any opening—and considered together for an entire home or building results in great wastage of treated air, energy costs and economic loss. The insulator should not even allow minute 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.

FIGS. 5A-5I show embodiments of various aspects of the present invention for use with various penetrations. It should be appreciated that an aspect of the present invention includes providing a cellular sheet comprising the same general configuration with similar dimensions as a cover plate used to cover the various penetrations, although the cellular sheet can also be applied to a penetration without a cover plate (i.e., an insulator). The cellular sheet of the insulator is of a dimension and configuration such that the backside of the cover plate is fully covered by the cellular sheet and any openings in the cellular sheet correspond in shape and number to the openings of the cover plate. However, the openings of cellular sheet should be slightly smaller than the openings of the cover plate, so that the cellular sheet fits snugly and tightly around the underlying penetration, thereby eliminating, or at least significantly minimizing, any potential drafts through the penetration. For example, the openings of cellular sheet are about the same size and dimensions as the size of the socket of an underlying electrical outlet in order to minimize or eliminate drafts through and around the outlet. The cellular sheet includes an adhesive, described below, which must be of sufficient thickness and a proper formula to prevent the cellular sheet or any part of the cellular sheet from disengaging from the surface, such as a wall, around the penetration. It is very important that the cellular sheet remain completely adhered to the surface, so as to prevent gaps which may allow air to pass through as discussed above and as shown in FIG. 3. The cellular sheet may be further secured to the cover plate by any conventional method known in the art, such as by gluing, by hooking under a curved edge of the outlet plate, etc.

The cellular sheet can be made from any number of suitable materials. Typical insulation materials are usually made of petroleum. Natural insulation or “green” products can also be used which are more environment friendly. These include sheep wool, cotton, hemp and recycled insulation. A suitable insulator material for the cellular sheet is Volara® Type AFR manufactured by Voltek. Volara Type AFR is an irradiation cross-linked polyethylene foam with a continuous and impervious smooth surface, fine cell structure, excellent mechanical properties, combined with fire retardant properties.

The adhesive used on the insulator material is very important and must be of sufficient thickness and have sufficient adhesion properties to prevent the cellular sheet from disengaging from the surface surrounding the penetration. Typical adhesives are usually made of chemicals. However, natural or “green” adhesives can also be used which are more environment friendly since they are non-toxic. These natural adhesives include casein glue, animal hide and hoof adhesives, marine organism adhesives, mussel adhesives, and lignin. A specific type of adhesive to be used with the insulator material of the present invention is made by FLEXCON. The adhesive is FLEXmount® TT 200 L-344 60 LA PFW, which is a permanent pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive supported with a two side poly-coated semi-bleached kraft differential release liner. It has a thickness of 2.0 mil (0.002 inches or 51 micron). It has a tack of 920 gm. Tack is the property that controls the instant formation of a bond when an adhesive and a surface are brought into contact. As mentioned above, the properties of the adhesive along with the thickness of the adhesive allow the cellular sheet to remain completely adhered to the surface around the penetration, so as to prevent gaps which may allow unwanted air to pass through the penetration to the inside and/or from the outside of a home or building.

Since the adhesive, and not the insulator material, is directly exposed to the interior of an electrical penetration or electrical outlet, a suitable flame retardant in the adhesive itself, in addition to the insulator material, is utilized to prevent an electrical fire, and is an important aspect of the present invention. An insulator material with a flame retardant is of no use if the adhesive itself is not flame retardant as well, since the adhesive would be the first material exposed to an electrical fire, and would catch fire if the adhesive did not possess a flame retardant. Therefore, the flame retardant adhesive is a significant safety precaution for preventing electrical fires when using an insulator sheet. Each embodiment of FIGS. 5A-5I will now be described.

FIG. 5A shows a cellular sheet 20 for use with a cable electrical socket. Cellular sheet has a hole 22 for receiving the end of an electrical cable. Hole 22 can be created by making a hole through sheet 20 by various known methods including punching. Hole 22 can also be created by means of a cutting device, such as a knife or razor, including power driven knives and razors. A slit 24 can be cut in cellular sheet 20 from the outer edge of cellular sheet 20 to hole 22 and can serve a number of purposes. First, slit 24 can create some flexibility for hole 22 by separating the portions of cellular sheet 20 on either side of slit 24 and placing sheet 20 around the electrical line or cable so the end of electrical cable passes through hole 22. If the end of electrical cable is placed through hole 22 from the front of cellular sheet 20, there may be a tendency to tear or damage the cellular sheet on the sharp end of the electrical cable. Another important advantage of slit 24 is that it eliminates the need to disconnect the electrical cable from the appliance it is connected to when installing cellular sheet 20, because the cable simply slips into slit 24 to hole 22. Installation of cellular sheet is quick and easy, and a person can still use the appliance while installing sheet 20. Slit 24 can be used any cellular sheet for accommodating other conduits besides electrical cables. The same advantages apply to these other conduits. Cellular sheet 20 also includes openings 26 for accommodating fasteners such as screws. These openings 26 can be created by use of a cutting device to make “cross-like” cuts through cellular sheet 20. Screws from a cover plate (not shown) pass through openings 26 so cover plate can be attached to the electrical outlet. These “cross-like” openings 26 create a snug fit around screws since cellular sheet 20 is flexible. This prevents any additional openings that can allow the passage of air between the electrical outlet and cellular sheet 20.

FIG. 5B is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use with a plumbing penetration such as a plumbing line. Cellular sheet 30 is very similar to cellular sheet 20, and includes a hole 32, a slit 34 and “cross-like” openings 36. The advantages of slit 34 and “cross-like” openings 36 are similar as discussed above. Hole 32 accommodates any type of plumbing line, such as a water line in a home which is usually located underneath kitchen, bathroom and laundry sinks. Cellular sheet 30 is installed in the same manner as cellular sheet 20 as described above. The advantage of slit 34 is that it eliminates the need to disconnect the plumbing line when installing cellular sheet 30 since the plumbing line slips through slit 34 to hole 32. Eliminating the need to disconnect the plumbing line eliminates leaking water and cleanup and saves valuable time. Therefore, installation is quick and easy.

FIG. 5C is an embodiment of yet another aspect of the invention for use with an even larger plumbing line. Cellular sheet 40 is very similar to cellular sheets 20, 30, and includes a hole 42, a slit 44 and “cross-like” openings 46. The advantages of slit 44 and “cross-like” openings 46 are the same as discussed above and will not be further discussed for the sake of brevity. Hole 42 accommodates a larger type of plumbing line such as a waste line in a home, which is usually located underneath kitchen, bathroom and laundry sinks. Cellular sheet 40 is installed in the same manner as cellular sheet 30 as described above and includes the same advantages which will not be further discussed. If lines are close enough to each other, either plumbing lines, electrical lines or any other lines or other penetrations, or combinations thereof, several holes and slits could be incorporated in the same cellular sheet.

FIG. 5D is an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention for use with a telephone outlet. Cellular sheet 50 includes a square hole 52 for accommodating a telephone outlet (not shown). Square hole 52 substantially matches the shape of the telephone outlet. Cellular sheet 50 also includes “cross-like” openings 54 for allowing a fastener such as a screw to fit through. The advantages of “cross-like” openings 54 are the same as discussed above and will not be further discussed for the sake of brevity. Cellular sheet 50 can also include a slit (not shown) in a similar manner as discussed above to allow the cellular sheet to go over the wires of the phone outlet once the wall plate has been removed from the wall. However, during this process, the wires do not have to be unhooked which allows for quick and easy installation.

FIG. 5E is an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention for use with a standard GFI outlet or a DECORA® brand electrical outlet, which has a rectangular shape. Cellular sheet 60 includes a rectangular hole 62 for accommodating a GFI outlet (not shown) or a DECORA® brand electrical outlet (not shown). Rectangular hole 62 substantially matches the shape of the GFI outlet or a DECORA® brand electrical outlet. Cellular sheet 60 also includes “cross-like” openings 64 for allowing a fastener such as a screw to fit through. The advantages of “cross-like” openings 64 are the same as discussed above and will not be further discussed for the sake of brevity.

FIG. 5F is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use with a double electrical outlet also known as a 4-plug outlet. Cellular sheet 70 is shaped similarly to a plate (not shown) for the double electrical outlet. Cellular sheet includes 70 openings 72 which expose the socket of the double electrical outlet (not shown). As seen in FIG. 5F, holes 74 are located between openings 72 for accommodating screws (not shown) for connecting the plate to the double electrical outlet, with cellular sheet 70 inserted between the plate and the double electrical outlet.

FIG. 5G is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use with a double electrical switch. Cellular sheet 80 is shaped similarly to a plate (not shown) for the double electrical switch. Cellular sheet 80 includes openings 82 which expose the switches of the double electrical switch (not shown). “Cross-like” openings 84 are located above and below openings 82 for accommodating screws (not shown) for connecting the plate to the double electrical switch, with cellular sheet 80 inserted between the plate and the double electrical switch. The advantages of “cross-like” openings 84 are the same as discussed above and will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

FIG. 5H is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use with a single electrical switch and a single electrical outlet (2-plug outlet) together. Cellular sheet 90 is shaped similarly to a plate (not shown) for the single electrical switch and a single electrical outlet together. Cellular sheet 90 includes openings 92 which expose the socket of the single electrical outlet (not shown). Cellular sheet 90 also includes opening 94 which exposes the switch of the single electrical switch (not shown). Hole 96 is located between openings 92 for accommodating the screw (not shown) for connecting the plate to the outlet. Also, “cross-like” openings 98 are located above and below opening 94 for accommodating screws (not shown) for connecting the plate to the single electrical switch and single electrical outlet together, with cellular sheet 80 inserted between the plate and the outlet. The advantages of “cross-like” openings 98 are the same as discussed above and will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

FIG. 5I is an embodiment of still another aspect of the invention for use with a single electrical outlet also known as a 2-plug outlet. Cellular sheet 100 is shaped similarly to a plate (not shown) for the electrical outlet. Cellular sheet includes 100 openings 102 which expose the socket of the single electrical outlet (not shown). A “cross-like” opening 104 is located between openings 102 for accommodating a screw (not shown) for connecting the plate to the single electrical switch, with cellular sheet 100 inserted between the plate and the outlet. The advantages of “cross-like” opening 104 are the same as discussed above and will not be repeated for the sake of brevity. FIG. 5I also shows a thin film 106 being partially peeled from the corner of cellular sheet 100 to expose an adhesive 108. Adhesive 108 is used to secure cellular sheet 100 to a wall surface (not shown) around the outlet to prevent any gaps between the outlet and the cellular sheet which may allow the unwanted passage of air resulting in air filtration, excessive humidity and contaminated air.

FIG. 5J is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use with a single electrical switch. Cellular sheet 110 is shaped similarly to a plate (not shown) for the single electrical switch. Cellular sheet 110 includes an opening 112 which expose the switch of the single electrical switch (not shown). “Cross-like” openings 114 are located above and below opening 112 for accommodating screws (not shown) for connecting the plate to the single electrical switch, with cellular sheet 110 inserted between the plate and the single electrical switch. The advantages of “cross-like” openings 114 are the same as discussed above and will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

It should be appreciated that FIGS. 5A-5J are not exhaustive of the types cellular sheets that can be used for sealing the penetrations of an entire home or building. FIGS. 5A-5I represent cellular sheets that can be used with some of the more well known types of penetrations including electrical and plumbing. An aspect of the present invention also includes a custom made cellular sheet (not shown) that may be fitted to seal any type of penetration of a home during the time of installation. The cellular sheet can be cut using any type of cutting tool to conform to the penetration of a home or building based on the size of the penetration and does not require a skilled installer to fabricate or install the custom cellular sheets. A blank cellular sheet can also be used to seal a penetration where a future outlet, switch etc. may be installed. For example, it is not uncommon for a builder or contractor to create a penetration in a wall where an outlet or switch may be installed in the future. The builder or contractor would cover the penetration with a blank cover plate until the homeowner decided to install the outlet or switch. The blank cellular sheet would be installed in the manner described above by placing it between the penetration and cover plate. If the homeowner then decided to install an electrical outlet at the penetration, the blank cellular sheet could be replaced by a cellular sheet matching the electrical penetration.

A very important aspect of the present invention involves insulating all of the penetrations in a home or building, rather than some of the electrical or plumbing penetrations. Penetrations around light fixtures, switches, ducts of all types and the like, would result in an excessive amount of treated air to flow to and/or from the home or building. This would be wasteful of the energy involved to treat the air, would reduce the effect of the treatment of the air and would be particularly noticeable with respect to the energy being wasted. Additionally, this energy savings can be achieved without replacing windows and heating/cooling systems, which could be very expensive. Furthermore, replacing windows and heating/cooling systems still will not solve the problem of air infiltration, and a homeowner may be wasting even more money by not solving the actual problem caused by air infiltration. However, wasted energy and money are not the only negatives results of air infiltration. The health of the individuals residing in a home or building can also be greatly affected by air infiltration.

As explained earlier, the unsealed penetrations in a home or building can lead to excessive indoor humidity which, at higher levels, can encourage allergy causing dust mites, mold growth and musty odors. 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. When indoor humidity levels are too high, a person's skin cannot evaporate moisture as well, which leads to discomfort. The present invention can greatly reduce or eliminate excessive indoor humidity, which protects a home or building's occupants from serious health problems and discomfort, by preventing the in draft of excessively humid air into the home or building. On the other hand, sometimes humid air is desirable in a home or building. The present invention can also prevent or substantially reduce the loss of indoor humidity caused by air infiltration through electrical penetrations in a home or building. During the winter, keeping air humid is desirable because the outside air is very dry. Typically, a humidifier is used to combat the dry air coming into a “leaky” home or building. Thus, during the winter, if a home or building is sealed according to the present invention, there will be an increase in relative indoor humidity and a humidifier may not be necessary.

Also discussed earlier, contaminated air is also a problem caused by unsealed penetrations in a home or building. Air pollutants such as mold spores, crawlspace moisture, insulation fibers, carbon monoxide, automobile exhaust, radon gas or volatile organic chemicals can contaminate incoming air from the outside of a home or building, and negatively affect the health and safety of the home or building's occupants. Finding and sealing the penetrations with the cellular sheet air will make a home or building healthier, less humid in the summer, less dusty and more comfortable.

The present invention also greatly reduces or eliminates the indoor air pollutants of a home or building. Indoor air pollutants including moisture are generated in a home or building from appliances, cooking, kitchens, bathrooms etc. If too little outdoor air enters a home or building, indoor pollutants can sometimes accumulate to levels that can pose health and comfort problems to the individuals residing in the home or building. Likewise, one approach to lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants in a home is to increase the amount of outdoor air coming in. However, the places where the outdoor air should enter a home or building is important, and clean fresh outdoor air should be entering rather than polluted air. These places which let in clean, fresh outside air include the leaks around windows and doors. The places which may let in potentially polluted air are attics, garages, crawlspaces, basements or underground. Thus, it is essential to seal any penetrations around attics, garages, crawlspaces, basements or underground which may allow polluted air to enter. The present invention can greatly reduce or eliminate this polluted air by sealing the penetrations around these areas.

The rate at which outdoor air replaces indoor air is described as the air exchange rate. When there is little air infiltration, natural ventilation, or mechanical ventilation, the air exchange rate is low and pollutant levels can increase. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineering (ASHRAE recommends (in its Standard 62-1999, “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality”) that homes receive 0.35 air changes per hour, but not less than 15 cubic feet per minute (cfm) per person. Stated another way, this national ventilation standard recommends that all of the air in a home be exchanged with fresh outside air approximately 8.4 times per day. Sometimes this exchange rate is referred to how much a home “breathes.” Therefore a typical home should ideally “breathe” 8.4 times per day. In order to obtain the required fresh air on a yearly average basis, a home needs approximately 1.2 square feet of air leaks or Total Leakage Area.

As explained earlier, an infiltrometer is a device used to measure the air exchange rate of a home. This test is referred to as the infiltrometer “blower door” test. The infiltrometer is a computerized instrument originally invented by the Department of Energy. It pinpoints where a home's worst air leaks are, and also measures how leaky the overall house is. Most homes have the equivalent of an open window in combined air leaks. The blower door is made up of a high powered fan and a series of panels that temporarily seal the home. The fan is connected to computerized controls and specialized computer software. The fan blows air out of the house causing a pressure difference between the home and the outside atmosphere. The pressure is measured in Paschals (Pa). The pressure difference (in this case a negative pressure) forces outside air into the home from all available holes and penetrations. In other words, the home is trying to replace the lost air from the fan blowing out by sucking air in through any opening it can find. By calculating the air flow through the fan and the air pressure of the building, the infiltrometer can determine the amount of air entering and leaving the home through the building envelope. And because the blower door is forcing air through the home, problem leaks are easy to spot with chemical smoke, an infrared camera, or simply with one's hand.

An energy audit of a home was completed to test the insulator sheet of the present invention. The results were unexpected as detailed in the tables below based on the prior science and what was known in the art. Five different tests were done to determine the air exchange rate or the amount of “breathing” of the house. The test also refers to Manual J and Mechanical air change rates. Manual J and Mechanical is a load calculation that heating and air conditioning contractors use to properly size heating and cooling equipment based on the “leakiness” of the building envelope. A leaky house will need bigger equipment to heat and cool whereas a tight house will need smaller equipment to heat and cool.

The first test (Loose House Leakage Test Report #1) was done with the home “as is”, that is without using any type of insulators or sealants. The infiltrometer measured 2.3 square feet of Total Leakage Area. On average, this area will approximately cause the home to breathe 16.7 times per day. This is 1.9 times more than recommended. It should be noted that there is an exception that may make the results or breathable factor even higher. If any of the leaks are in the air duct system, actual air changes may be substantially higher since duct leaks experience much higher pressures than house leaks. One square inch of duct leakage to the outside has approximately the same impact as 30 square inches of house leaks. The results of the test are shown below.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #1 Report Prepared For: McAllister Residence/Test 1, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By: Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test: Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ft Avg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind Shielding Factor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL (Lawrence Berkley Labs) Climate Zone: 2) Temperature: Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F., Depressurize from inside Test Data: 25 Pa House Pressure, 117 Pa Flow Pressure on Ring B, 1,750 CFM Leakage Areas and Sealing Potential Calculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 square feet, 170.8 square inches Measured Leakage Area: 2.26 square feet, 325.0 square inches Total Leakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch high by 54 feet long. 154 square inches can be sealed before reaching the Optimum Leakage Area. Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J and Mechanical Estimated Annual Average Air Change Rate: 16.70 per day, 0.70 per hour Estimated Manual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.87 per hour or 186 CFM (C = 216 N = 0.650) Summer = 0.52 per hour or 111 CFM Constant Mechanical Whole Building Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46 cfm (assumes 32 cfm is also provided by building leakage) Imbalanced Airflow Required to Pressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 216 cfm - 1 Pa 339 cfm = 2 Pa 441 cfm = 3 Pa 532 cfm = 4 Pa 615 cfm = 5 Pa Humidification/Dehumidification Requirements (Approximate) Added Duct Leakage to Outside Winter to 35% RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None +13.2 gallons/day  −9.1 gallons/day  50 cfm +16.8 gallons/day −13.2 gallons/day 100 cfm +20.4 gallons/day −17.3 gallons/day 200 cfm +27.5 gallons/day −25.6 gallons/day 300 cfm +34.6 gallons/day −33.8 gallons/day Maximum Acceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New Construction Codes Based on Total Air Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons: 30 cfm, 6 sq. in. 2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq. in 3.0 tons: 60 cfm, 11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons: 80 cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0 tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no air conditioning, 12.3 square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems in the home, based on 3% of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA = 2,745 Air changes @ 50 PA = 12,869 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 Pa Infiltrometer 9.0, Copyright Comfort Institute 2000-2003 All Rights Reserved

The first test served as a control test and concluded that the home “breathed” almost twice as much as it should when no insulator sheets were used to seal any penetrations of the house. That is, the air exchange rate was 16.7, which is far above the recommended approximate of 8.4 times per day. This high air exchange rate would lead to large amounts of wasted treated air, excessive summer humidity, dry air and cold drafts in the winter, uncomfortable rooms, excessive dust, and high heating and cooling bills.

The second test (Loose House Leakage Test Report #2) placed insulator sheets according to the present invention on all outside wall electrical penetrations. As previously mentioned, experts stated that only outside walls need sealing because that is where the outside air penetrates into the home, since electrical penetrations account for only 2% of the draft. Therefore, this statement was actually tested. The infiltrometer measured 2.0 square feet of Total Leakage Area in the home. On average, this will cause approximately 14.6 changes each day as seen in Table 2. Thus, sealing the outside wall electrical penetrations reduced the number of air exchanges by 2.1 to 14.6 per day for a 12.5% savings compared to the first test. The duct leak exception noted above applies to all of the tests done, including test 2. The results of the second test are shown below.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #2 Report Prepared For: McAllister Residence/Test 2, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By: Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test: Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ft Avg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind Shielding Factor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL Climate Zone: 2) Temperature: Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F., Depressurize from inside Test Data: 25 Pa House Pressure, 89 Pa Flow Pressure on Ring B, 1,527 CFM Leakage Areas and Sealing Potential Calculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 square feet, 170.8 square inches Measured Leakage Area: 1.97 square feet, 283.7 square inches Total Leakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch high by 47 feet long. 113 square inches can be sealed before reaching the Optimum Leakage Area. Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J and Mechanical Estimated Annual Average Air Change Rate: 14.58 per day, 0.61 per hour Estimated Manual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.76 per hour or 162 CFM (C = 188 N = 0.650) Summer = 0.46 per hour or 97 CFM Constant Mechanical Whole Building Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46 cfm (assumes 32 cfm is also provided by building leakage) Imbalanced Airflow Required to Pressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 188 cfm - 1 Pa 296 cfm = 2 Pa 385 cfm = 3 Pa 464 cfm = 4 Pa 537 cfm = 5 Pa Humidification/Dehumidification Requirements (Approximate) Added Duct Leakage to Outside Winter to 35% RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None +11.6 gallons/day  −8.0 gallons/day  50 cfm +15.1 gallons/day −12.1 gallons/day 100 cfm +18.7 gallons/day −16.2 gallons/day 200 cfm +25.8 gallons/day −24.4 gallons/day 300 cfm +33.0 gallons/day −32.6 gallons/day Maximum Acceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New Construction Codes Based on Total Air Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons: 30 cfm, 6 sq. in. 2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq. in 3.0 tons: 60 cfm, 11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons: 80 cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0 tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no air conditioning, 12.3 square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems in the home, based on 3% of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA = 2,397 Air changes @ 50 PA = 11,235 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 Pa Infiltrometer 9.0, Copyright Comfort Institute 2000-2003 All Rights Reserved

The second test concluded that a 12.5% energy savings could be achieved by sealing only the outside wall electrical penetrations. This 12.5% energy savings is much greater than the 2% previously expected by the U.S. Department of Energy and those skilled in the art. The next test was to place insulator sheets on both the interior and exterior electrical penetrations.

The third test (Loose House Leakage Test Report #3) placed insulator sheets of the present invention on all interior wall electrical penetrations in addition to the outside wall electrical preparations and the results are shown in Table 3. The infiltrometer measured 1.8 square feet of Total Leakage Area in the home. This reduced the number of air exchanges by 1.1 to 13.5 air exchanges per day for an additional 6.5% savings or a little better than ½ as effective as sealing the outside wall electrical penetrations as done in test 2. This third test proves the need to seal ALL electrical wall penetrations, i.e. both interior and exterior electrical wall penetrations. The results of the third test are shown below.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #3 Report Prepared For: McAllister Residence/Test 2, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By: Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test: Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ft Avg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind Shielding Factor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL Climate Zone: 2) Temperature: Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F., Depressurize from inside Test Data: 25 Pa House Pressure, 76 Pa Flow Pressure on Ring B, 1,412 CFM Leakage Areas and Sealing Potential Calculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 square feet, 170.8 square inches Measured Leakage Area: 1.82 square feet, 262.4 square inches Total Leakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch high by 44 feet long. 92 square inches can be sealed before reaching the Optimum Leakage Area. Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J and Mechanical Estimated Annual Average Air Change Rate: 13.48 per day, 0.56 per hour Estimated Manual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.70 per hour or 150 CFM (C = 174 N = 0.650) Summer = 0.42 per hour or 90 CFM Constant Mechanical Whole Building Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46 cfm (assumes 32 cfm is also provided by building leakage) Imbalanced Airflow Required to Pressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 174 cfm - 1 Pa 274 cfm = 2 Pa 356 cfm = 3 Pa 429 cfm = 4 Pa 496 cfm = 5 Pa Humidification/Dehumidification Requirements (Approximate) Added Duct Leakage to Outside Winter to 35% RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None +10.7 gallons/day  −7.4 gallons/day  50 cfm +14.2 gallons/day −11.5 gallons/day 100 cfm +17.8 gallons/day −15.6 gallons/day 200 cfm +24.9 gallons/day −23.8 gallons/day 300 cfm +32.1 gallons/day −32.0 gallons/day Maximum Acceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New Construction Codes Based on Total Air Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons: 30 cfm, 6 sq. in. 2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq. in 3.0 tons: 60 cfm, 11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons: 80 cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0 tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no air conditioning, 12.3 square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems in the home, based on 3% of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA = 2,216 Air changes @ 50 PA = 10.390 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 Pa Infiltrometer 9.0, Copyright Comfort Institute 2000-2003 All Rights Reserved

Thus the third test revealed that sealing all electrical penetrations reduced the number of air exchanges by 3.2. The home originally was breathing 16.7 times a day and after sealing all the electrical penetrations it was breathing 13.5 times per day. This is a 19% savings which amounts to a huge energy reduction, much more than the 2% savings previously identified by building scientists and HVAC industry experts and the U.S. Department of Energy. Therefore, the “experts” were incorrect in concluding that only sealing the outside wall penetrations can effectively lead to any significant savings.

To quantify this energy savings in dollars by sealing all of the electrical penetrations of a home, the average heating and electrical costs for a typical home in the U.S. was found at the website for the U.S. Energy Information Administration (www.eia.gov/emeu/steo/pub/wf-table.pdf). The average projected heating cost for a residential unit in the U.S. for winter 2008-2009 is $1182.00 per year according to measurements made in August 2008. If all of the home's electrical penetrations are sealed with the insulator sheets according to the present invention, and a 19% savings is achieved, this results in a savings of $224.58 per year on the average American home. The average electric bill for a residential unit in the U.S. is $1152.00 per year. Air conditioning on average accounts for 16% of an electric bill. Therefore, the air conditioning accounts for $184.32 of the total electrical bill for the year. If all of the home's electrical penetrations are sealed with the insulator sheets according to the present invention, and a 19% savings is achieved, this results in a savings of $35.02 per year on the average American home as of 2008. By combining the heating and electrical savings, an average of $259.60 is saved per year on heating and cooling if all of the home's electrical penetrations are sealed with the insulator sheets according to the present invention.

The projected cost of a single insulator sheet according to the present invention is $0.50. A typical 1800 square foot home will have approximately 50 electrical penetrations, so the total cost to seal all the electrical penetrations will be $25.00. Therefore, an owner of home would start saving money within two months of installation of the insulator sheets according to the present invention after covering the cost of the insulator sheets. Due to rising energy costs, this simple but effective solution for sealing all of the home's electrical penetrations with the insulator sheets according to the present invention results in a significant savings.

The insulator sheets of the present invention were applied to 47 electrical penetrations and achieved a 19% savings. The count for the type of electrical penetration sealed was; 22 duplexes, 13 switches, 5 GFIs, 2 double GFIs, 2 phones, 2 cables and 1 double switch. As previously mentioned, the only commercially available products on the market are duplex, switch and GFI insulators. It should still further be appreciated that the present invention may be employed with both standard electrical outlets, as well as with other types of outlets, such as an outlet for a cable television line, an outlet for a high-speed Internet line, light switches, light switch plates having dimmer functions, such as the DECORA® brand switch, or even in connection with wall plates for any one of a number of international-type electrical outlets. Specifically, the insulators can be used with any type electrical penetration including: duplex, switch, telephone, cable, double switch, triple switch, quad switch, switch/duplex combo, double duplex, single GFI/DECORA®, double DECORA®, triple DECORA®, quad DECORA®, single blank and double blank. It should be noted that this list is not exhaustive of the only types of electrical penetrations. The insulator of the present invention can be used for any type of electrical penetration.

The home had an original leakage area of 325 square inches as shown by Test 1. This leakage area would be the size of the “hole” or window opened to the outside. The optimum leakage area for the home to have an acceptable air exchange rate was measured at 171 square inches. The difference between the total “hole” to the outside of 325 square inches and the 171 square inches of the optimum “hole” to the outside is an undesired leakage or draft of 154 square inches.

Sealing the outside wall electrical penetrations eliminated 26% of the 154 square inches of draft. Sealing the inside wall electrical penetrations eliminated 13.5% of this draft. Sealing all electrical penetrations sealed a total of 39.5% of this draft.

As previously noted, it is a very important aspect of the present invention that the sealing insulators are for the entire house. The prior art referred to resisting drafts but only a per plug/outlet basis. The testing proved the effectiveness of sealing every electrical penetration of the whole house.

As previously mentioned, those skilled in the art believed a 2% savings could be achieved by sealing the electrical penetrations of a home. Indeed, Applicant was only confident that a 5% savings would result based on the present invention. Applicant did not expect to achieve a 19% savings as shown in Test 3. Thus, the test results evidence the unexpected results of the present invention, as they yielded almost ten times more energy savings than previously believed in the industry.

It has also been determined that additional energy savings can be achieved by further sealing the openings for receiving the plug receptacles. These seals are known as seal caps. Another test was conducted after applying seal caps on the openings of all of the duplex electrical wall penetrations. The results of the fourth test (Loose House Leakage Test Report #4) are shown below.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #4 Report Prepared For: McAllister Residence/Test 2, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By: Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test: Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ft Avg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind Shielding Factor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL Climate Zone: 2) Temperature: Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F., Depressurize from inside Test Data: 25 Pa House Pressure, 73 Pa Flow Pressure on Ring B, 1,385 CFM Leakage Areas and Sealing Potential Calculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 square feet, 170.8 square inches Measured Leakage Area: 1.79 square feet, 257.2 square inches Total Leakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch high by 43 feet long. 92 square inches can be sealed before reaching the Optimum Leakage Area. Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J and Mechanical Estimated Annual Average Air Change Rate: 13.21 per day, 0.55 per hour Estimated Manual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.69 per hour or 147 CFM (C = 171 N = 0.650) Summer = 0.41 per hour or 88 CFM Constant Mechanical Whole Building Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46 cfm (assumes 32 cfm is also provided by building leakage) Imbalanced Airflow Required to Pressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 171 cfm - 1 Pa 268 cfm = 2 Pa 349 cfm = 3 Pa 421 cfm = 4 Pa 486 cfm = 5 Pa Humidification/Dehumidification Requirements (Approximate) Added Duct Leakage to Outside Winter to 35% RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None +10.5 gallons/day  −7.2 gallons/day  50 cfm +14.0 gallons/day −11.3 gallons/day 100 cfm +17.6 gallons/day −15.4 gallons/day 200 cfm +24.7 gallons/day −23.6 gallons/day 300 cfm +31.9 gallons/day −31.9 gallons/day Maximum Acceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New Construction Codes Based on Total Air Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons: 30 cfm, 6 sq. in. 2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq. in. 3.0 tons: 60 cfm, 11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons: 80 cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0 tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no air conditioning, 12.3 square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems in the home, based on 3% of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA = 2,173 Air changes @ 50 PA = 10.185 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 Pa Infiltrometer 9.0, Copyright Comfort Institute 2000-2003 All Rights Reserved

As can be seen from the fourth test, closing the seal caps reduced the number of air exchanges by 0.3 for an additional 1.8% savings. Therefore, the seal caps when closed accounted for sealing 4% of the draft.

In addition to sealing the electrical penetrations, it has also been discovered that sealing plumbing penetrations with the insulator sheet according to the present invention will also result in additional energy savings. A fifth and final test (Loose House Leakage Test Report #5) was done by sealing the plumbing penetrations under the kitchen and two bathroom sinks of the home. The results of the fifth test are shown below.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #5 Report Prepared For: McAllister Residence/Test 2, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By: Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test: Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ft Avg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind Shielding Factor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL Climate Zone: 2) Temperature: Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F., Depressurize from inside Test Data: 25 Pa House Pressure, 68 Pa Flow Pressure on Ring B, 1,337 CFM Leakage Areas and Sealing Potential Calculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 square feet, 170.8 square inches Measured Leakage Area: 1.72 square feet, 248.3 square inches Total Leakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch high by 41 feet long. 78 square inches can be sealed before reaching the Optimum Leakage Area. Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J and Mechanical Estimated Annual Average Air Change Rate: 12.76 per day, 0.53 per hour Estimated Manual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.66 per hour or 142 CFM (C = 165 N = 0.650) Summer = 0.40 per hour or 85 CFM Constant Mechanical Whole Building Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46 cfm (assumes 32 cfm is also provided by building leakage) Imbalanced Airflow Required to Pressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 165 cfm - 1 Pa 259 cfm = 2 Pa 337 cfm = 3 Pa 406 cfm = 4 Pa 470 cfm = 5 Pa Humidification/Dehumidification Requirements (Approximate) Added Duct Leakage to Outside Winter to 35% RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None +10.1 gallons/day  −7.0 gallons/day  50 cfm +13.7 gallons/day −11.1 gallons/day 100 cfm +17.2 gallons/day −15.42 gallons/day  200 cfm +24.4 gallons/day −23.4 gallons/day 300 cfm +31.5 gallons/day −31.6 gallons/day Maximum Acceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New Construction Codes Based on Total Air Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons: 30 cfm, 6 sq. in. 2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq. in 3.0 tons: 60 cfm, 11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons: 80 cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0 tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no air conditioning, 12.3 square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems in the home, based on 3% of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA = 2,098 Air changes @ 50 PA = 9.833 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 Pa Infiltrometer 9.0, Copyright Comfort Institute 2000-2003 All Rights Reserved

As can be seen from the table, the number of air exchanges was additionally reduced by 0.45 from 13.21 to 12.76 for an additional 2% savings. This 2% savings was accomplished by sealing 3 waste lines and 6 water lines or a total of 9 plumbing penetrations. Therefore, the sealing of the plumbing penetrations sealed 5% of the draft.

In summary, sealing all of the electrical penetrations and plumbing penetrations with the present invention eliminated an astounding 44.5% of the draft! Further combining the sealing of the electrical and plumbing penetrations with the closing of the seal caps eliminated 48.5% of the draft!

The estimated cost savings for the fifth test are as follows based on the previously stated average heating and electrical cost for a residential unit in the U.S. If all of the home's electrical penetrations are sealed with the insulator sheets according to the present invention, and a 22.8% savings is achieved, this results in a savings of $269.50 per year on the average American home based on an $1182.00 yearly heating bill. The average electric bill for a residential unit in the U.S. is $1152.00 per year. Air conditioning on average accounts for 16% of an electric bill. Therefore, the air conditioning accounts for $184.32 of the total electrical bill for the year. If all of the home's electrical penetrations are sealed with the insulator sheets according to the present invention, and a 22.8% savings is achieved, this results in a savings of $42.02 per year on the electric bill for the average American home. By combining the heating and electrical savings, an average of $311.52 is saved per year on heating and cooling if all of the home's electrical penetrations are sealed with the insulator sheets according to the present invention.

The insulators sheets of the present invention would be pre-cut by a manufacturer for most applications. However, it would by easy to custom make particular insulator sheets if necessary by cutting the desired shape at the time of insulation. In this regard, the single and double blank insulator sheets are used for the rare electrical plate not included in the insulator product line. For example, a round air conditioning outlet is not a typical electrical plate. For this application, the air conditioning electrical plate would be removed and placed over the blank insulator with the paper side of the insulator facing up. The opening of the plate would then be traced. The traced opening would then be cut with any type of scissors or other suitable cutting device. The adhesive back paper would be removed and the insulator would be applied to the wall opening, with the adhesive side to the wall. This seal would be effective since the cut opening is smaller than the plate opening and fits snugly around the electrical outlet.

Further seals according to the present invention could be used for other potential openings in a home, including but not limited to electrical apparatus, including sockets, switches, telecommunication devices and speakers, and openings for pipes and other conduits

Thus, homeowners or building owners can save on their energy consumption year round by the present invention. They can also eliminate excessive indoor humidity and contaminants in the air. Furthermore, the present invention reduces carbon emissions which affect the environment in the form of global warming.

Having described the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that alterations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for preventing or substantially reducing the amount of air lost from air infiltration through electrical penetrations in a home or building comprising the steps of:

locating the electrical penetrations at the respective air infiltrations areas where air infiltration occurs, said electrical penetrations including electrical outlets, electrical switches, outlets for telephone wires, outlets for cable television wires, outlets for computer wires, outlets for speakers, outlets for security systems and outlets for telecommunication systems;
applying an insulator sheet across the respective air infiltration area of the electrical penetrations, the insulator sheet comprising an impervious flexible sheet material; and
sealing said insulator sheet to a surface defining the respective air infiltration areas to prevent or substantially reduce air infiltration.

2. A method for substantially reducing the amount of air lost from air infiltration through plumbing penetrations in a home or building comprising the steps of:

locating the plumbing penetrations at the respective air infiltration areas where air infiltration occurs, said plumbing penetrations including water lines and waste lines;
applying an insulator sheet across the respective air infiltration areas of the plumbing penetrations, the insulator sheet comprising an impervious flexible sheet material;
sealing said insulator sheet to a surface defining the respective air infiltration areas to prevent or substantially reduce air infiltration.

3. A set of insulator sheets for preventing or substantially reducing the amount of air lost from air infiltration through the respective conduit penetrations in a home or building, each insulator sheet in said set of insulator sheets comprising:

an impervious, flexible cellular sheet for application to the respective penetrations, said sheet having corresponding structure to the respective conduit penetrations to that which said sheet is to be applied, said sheet including a hole for accommodating the respective conduit penetrations, said hole varying in size depending on the size of the respective conduit penetrations; and
an adhesive on a surface of said sheet for securing said sheet across an air infiltration area of the respective conduit penetrations without allowing any air passages to occur;
said set of insulator sheets reducing the amount of air lost through the respective penetrations as compared to the respective home or building without said set of insulator sheets.

4. A set of insulator sheets according to claim 3, said adhesive comprising:

a permanent pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive supported with a two side poly-coated semi-bleached kraft differential release liner; and
a fire retardant.

5. A set of insulator sheets for preventing or substantially reducing the amount of air lost from air infiltration through the respective conduit penetrations in a home or building, each of said set of insulator sheets comprising:

an impervious, flexible cellular sheet for application to the respective penetrations, said sheet having corresponding structure to the respective conduit penetrations to that which said sheet is to be applied, said sheet including a hole for accommodating the respective conduit penetrations, said hole varying in size depending on the size of the respective conduit penetrations, each insulator sheet in said set of insulator sheets comprising:
an irradiation crosslinked polyethylene foam having a thickness of at least 0.125 inches and a density of 2 pounds per cubit foot (pcf); and
a 0.002 inch thick permanent pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive supported with a two side poly coated semi-bleached kraft differential release liner for applying and completely securing said respective cellular sheet across an air infiltration area of each said respective conduit penetrations without allowing any air passages to occur.
Patent History
Publication number: 20100287867
Type: Application
Filed: May 18, 2009
Publication Date: Nov 18, 2010
Applicant: Airtite Systems LLC (Strongsville, OH)
Inventor: Joseph Constantino (Strongsville, OH)
Application Number: 12/454,402
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Foam (52/309.4); Sealing (52/741.4); Disparate Sheet Lamina Between Exposed Surfaces Of Wall, Floor, Or Roof (e.g., Vapor Barrier, Waterproofing Membrane) (52/408)
International Classification: E04B 1/66 (20060101); E04C 2/24 (20060101);