Abstract: Ridge vents configured to cover an open ridge of a roof and allow a flow of air to exit from the open ridge through the ridge vents are provided. The ridge vents include a center portion having a length and a plurality of grooves. Left and right portions are connected to the center portion. The center portion is configured to flex along it's length, thereby forming a ridge vent angle between the left and right portions. The formed ridge vent angle is configured to correspond with a slope between roof decks defining the open ridge.

Abstract: A machine for distributing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material is provided. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is configured to receive compressed loosefill insulation material. The machine also includes a lower unit. The lower unit has a shredding chamber with a plurality of shredders configured to condition the loosefill insulation material thereby forming conditioned loosefill insulation material. The plurality of shredders is driven by one or more motors. A discharge mechanism is mounted to receive the loosefill insulation material. The discharge mechanism is configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream. A blower is configured to provide the airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism. A sound chamber is configured to receive the one or more motors and further configured to reduce the sound rating emanating from the machine.

Abstract: A sheet of material suitable for roofing or industrial wrapping applications has an anti-skid surface formed by ridges of twisted tapes. The sheet comprises a woven scrim of warp tapes and weft tapes. Some of the tapes are twisted about their longitudinal axis, for example about 25 to 400 revolutions per meter, to form ridges having a height substantially greater than the thickness of the tapes. The ridges impart an anti-skid surface to the sheet. The scrim is bonded to a coating or film to make the sheet waterproof.

Abstract: Fibrous material webs and methods of making the fibrous material webs. Binderless webs can be formed in a continuous process where fiber material, such as glass is melted and formed into fibers. The fibers are formed into a web of binderless glass fibers or a web with a dry binder. The binderless web or the web with dry binder can be layered and/or the fibers that make up the web can be mechanically entangled, for example, by needling.

Abstract: A sheet of material suitable for roofing or industrial wrapping applications has an anti-skid surface formed by ridges of twisted tapes. The sheet comprises a woven scrim of warp tapes and weft tapes. Some of the tapes are twisted about their longitudinal axis, for example about (25) to (400) revolutions per meter, to form ridges having a height substantially greater than the thickness of the tapes. The ridges impart an anti-skid surface to the sheet. The scrim is bonded to a coating or film to make the sheet waterproof.

Abstract: A roofing system including shingles with different shingle patterns. The roofing system may include a plurality of first shingles having a first two-tab shingle pattern and a plurality of second shingles having a second two-tab shingle pattern. The first shingles including a first tab having a first width and a second tab having a second width, wherein the first width and the second width are substantially equal. The second shingles including a third tab having a third width and a fourth tab having a fourth width, wherein the third width is substantially equal to the first width and the fourth width is about double the second width. The plurality of first shingles and the plurality of second shingles can be formed from a rectangular shingle blank in an interwoven pattern with substantially no scrap or waste material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for making polystyrene foam which utilizes one or more atmospheric gases, particularly CO2, as the blowing agent in combination with a polymer processing aid (PPA), typically an ester that is relatively non-volatile at the extrusion temperature range. The blowing agent and the PPA may both be introduced into the molten thermoplastic polystyrene resin or the PPA may be incorporated in the solid source polystyrene resins. The resulting foam will be substantially free of residual blowing agent and dimensionally stable at ambient temperatures.

Abstract: Organic infrared attenuation agents have been developed to improve the thermal insulation properties of polymeric foams such as polystyrene low density foams. The organic infrared attenuation agents can include polyols such as sorbitol, maltitol, and poly(ethylene glycol), polysaccharides such as starch or cellulose, and infrared attenuation polyesters such as polybutylene terephthalate. The organic attenuation agents include aromatic compounds or carbon oxygen bonds that are effective in absorbing infrared radiation at the desired wavelengths.

Abstract: A loosefill insulation installation has an insulation space, and insulation material in the insulation space. The loosefill insulation material is made from fiberglass fibers. A thermal resistance (R) per inch of installed loosefill insulation material is between 3.1 and 3.9 R per inch. The average density of the installed loosefill insulation material is between 0.6 and 1.0 pounds per cubic foot.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly, formaldehyde-free, aqueous binder composition that includes a carbohydrate, a crosslinking agent, and a pre-reacted product of an alcohol or polyol and monomeric or polymeric polycarboxylic acid or polyglycerol is provided. The pre-reacted product may include glycerol and esters of citric acid such a monoglyceryl citrate, diglyceryl citrate, and triglyceryl citrate as well as other higher molecular weight citric acid-based esters. The inclusion of the pre-reacted product in the binder composition helps to speed the crosslinking reaction, induces faster water evaporation, decreases the viscosity of the binder, helps to reduce the amount of water needed for application of the binder, decreases tackiness, and helps to achieve a maximum vertical expansion of the insulation pack in the transfer zone. The binder composition may be used in the formation of insulation materials and non-woven chopped strand mats.

Abstract: A board with preformed seals. In an exemplary embodiment, a sealing material is applied to at least one edge of a board to form a preformed seal on that edge. The board is configured such that when the board is attached to a frame adjacent to a another board, at least a portion of the sealing material applied to the edge of the board seals against at least a portion of an edge another board. In one exemplary embodiment, the boards are configured to seal against edges of substantially identical boards. A plurality of the sheathing boards may be installed on a building frame to form a sheathing system that provides a moisture and/or gas barrier between and interior and exterior of a building.

Abstract: In an exemplary method for evaluating building insulation, first thermal data for a first building location is received at a computing device from a thermal scanning device, the first thermal data including a first leak temperature reading of a first leak path feature at the first building location. Estimated inside and outside temperatures are stored in the computing device, and an environmental temperature deviation between the estimated inside temperature and the estimated outside temperature is determined. A first leak temperature deviation between the first leak temperature reading and the estimated inside temperature is determined. A first temperature deviation ratio of the first leak temperature deviation to the environmental temperature deviation is compared with a predetermined first maximum acceptable inefficiency ratio.

Abstract: A roofing shingle includes an asphalt-coated sheet and a reinforcement member. The asphalt-coated sheet includes a shingle mat and an asphalt coating applied to the shingle mat. The asphalt-coated sheet has a lower tab portion normally exposed on a roof and an upper headlap portion normally covered-up on a roof. At least a portion of the asphalt-coated sheet is coated with granules. The reinforcement member is adhered to the asphalt-coated sheet along an upper edge of the headlap portion, with the reinforcement member and the headlap portion together providing a nail pull-through value that is greater than an otherwise identical shingle having no such reinforcement material.

Abstract: Fibrous insulation products have an aqueous binder composition that includes a carbohydrate and a crosslinking agent. In exemplary embodiments, the carbohydrate-based binder composition may also include a catalyst, a coupling agent, a process aid, a crosslinking density enhancer, an extender, a moisture resistant agent, a deducting oil, a colorant, a corrosion inhibitor, a surfactant, a pH adjuster, and combinations thereof. The carbohydrate may be natural in origin and derived from renewable resources. Additionally, the carbohydrate polymer may have a dextrose equivalent (DE) number from 2 to 20. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the carbohydrate is a water-soluble polysaccharide such as dextrin or maltodextrin and the crosslinking agent is citric acid. Advantageously, the carbohydrates have a low viscosity and cure at moderate temperatures. The environmentally friendly, formaldehyde-free binder may be used in the formation of insulation materials and non-woven chopped strand mats.

Abstract: A thermal appliance is provided. The thermal appliance includes a heating compartment inside of an enclosure, with insulation disposed between the heating compartment and enclosure. Retainers or standoffs are also included in the thermal appliance to prevent air gaps from forming between the insulation and the heating compartment, and to prevent the insulation from making contact with the enclosure.

Abstract: An fibrous insulation product is provided that includes a binder comprising a polyol and a phosphorus crosslinking agent derived from a phosphonic or phosphoric acid, salt, ester or anhydride to form crosslinked phosphodiester linkages. The polyol is polyvalent, but may be monomeric or preferably polymeric; and may be synthetic or natural in origin. Carbohydrate polysaccharides are exemplary polyols, including water-soluble polysaccharides such as dextrin, maltodextrin, starch, modified starch, etc. Additionally, the carbohydrate polymer may have a dextrose equivalent (DE) number from 2 to 20. In exemplary embodiments, the binder may also include a catalyst, a coupling agent, a process aid, and other additives. The environmentally friendly, formaldehyde-free binder may be used in the formation of residential and commercial insulation materials and non-woven chopped strand mats. A method of making fibrous products is also provided.

Abstract: A fibrous insulation product with improved thermal resistance and method of making it are provided. A plurality of base fibers (e.g. glass) are formed into an insulation product, which may be bindered or unbonded. At least one infrared opacifying agent, such as soot, carbon black or graphite, is applied to the fibrous insulation product such that the base fibers are substantially uniformly coated with opacifying agent. The opacifying agent may be applied, for example, from a fluid suspension or by pulling the fiber through a sooty flame. When opacifying agent applied via a suspension and a binder is desired, it is preferable to avoid binder dispersions that can dislocate the opacifying agent. Alternative binder applications may include co-mingling of base fibers with binder fibers, or other physical or mechanical distributions.

Abstract: A dishwasher includes a tub with a sidewall. A vent is attached to the sidewall of the tub. An inlet line is disposed outside the sidewall and is attached to the vent. The inlet line provides water to the tub through the sidewall. An insulation blanket is disposed over the tub sidewall and the vent. A water vapor path extends from the vent to at least an edge of the insulation blanket.

Abstract: A roofing material including a substrate having a top face and a bottom face. The roofing material further includes a non-asphalt coating applied to the substrate and an asphalt layer covering at least a portion of the top face. The bottom face is asphalt-free, or substantially asphalt-free.

Abstract: An insulation system includes roof sheathing panels, spaced apart structural members, a plurality of pins, insulation support material, and insulation. The plurality of pins are secured to the roof sheathing panels, the structural members, or both. The insulation support material is connected to the pins to form an insulation cavity below the roof sheathing panels and below the structural members. Insulation is disposed on the insulation support material, between the spaced apart structural members and directly under the bottommost surfaces of the structural members.