Threshold system with an insulated thermal break device and related methods

A thermal break device for an opening of a building structure and configured to provide a thermal break between an interior of the building structure and an exterior of the building structure, the thermal break device comprising:

• an elongated sill member including a leading end, a trailing end opposite the leading end along a longitudinal direction, opposed side ends spaced apart along a transverse direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, a bottom surface, and an upper surface opposite the bottom surface along a vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction;
• an elongated base member extending from the elongated sill member in the vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, the elongated base member defining an inner surface, an outer surface spaced apart from the inner surface in the longitudinal direction such that the inner surface is substantially perpendicular to the trailing end of the elongated sill member, the elongated base member further defining a lower terminal end spaced apart from the elongated sill member in the vertical direction, wherein the inner surface of the elongated base member at the lower terminal end does not extend in the longitudinal direction, such that, the elongated sill member and the elongated base member define a substantially L-shaped body having a receiving pocket sized to receive insulation therein;
• a first plurality of studs, wherein an entire length of the first plurality of studs extends from the bottom surface of the elongated sill member so as to be substantially parallel to the vertical direction;
• and
• a second plurality of studs, wherein an entire length of the second plurality of studs extends from the inner surface of the elongated base member so as to be substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction.

A method, comprising:

• installing insulation material in an opening in concrete aligned with a building opening;
• placing a thermal break device into the opening so that an elongated sill of the thermal break device is aligned with an exterior surface near or adjacent to the building opening;
• securing the thermal break device in place in the opening;
• positioning the thermal break device such that an entire length of a first plurality of studs extends into the opening from a bottom surface of the elongated sill substantially parallel to an elongated base that is substantially perpendicular to the elongated sill, and an entire length of a second plurality of studs extends from an inner surface of the elongated base of the thermal break device substantially parallel to the elongated sill;
• and
• pouring concrete into the opening to secure the thermal break device in alignment with the building opening causing the first and second plurality of studs to be embedded into the concrete.