Material and method for providing insulation to a foundation wall

A method for manufacturing a foundation wall insulation board comprising:

• providing a plurality of fibers;
• said fibers not woven together;
• said plurality of fibers include bi-component fibers;
• said bi-component fibers include a core fiber and an outer coating;
• said outer coating on said bi-component fibers has a melting point that is less than a metaling point of said core fiber;
• said core fiber is formed of one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyamide nylon fibers, nylon fibers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), phenol-formaldehyde (PF), polyvinyl chloride, polyolefin, acrylic polyester, polyethylene, urethane and polyurethane;
• laying said plurality of fibers so as to form a form of fibers;
• said form of fibers has an initial thickness;
• said form of fibers has a top surface and a bottom surface;
• compressing said form of fibers to reduce a thickness of said form of fibers from said initial thickness to a compressed thickness to produce a non-woven board and first and second outer skin layers;
• said compressed thickness of the total thickness of said non-woven board and said first and second outer skin layers is 20-200% less than said initial thickness of said form of fibers;
• said first outer skin layer is positioned on top surface of said non-woven board and said second outer skin layer is positioned on a bottom surface of said non-woven board, and wherein said top side of said non-woven board is opposite said bottom side of said non-woven board;
• said non-woven board includes a side edge that extends between said top and bottom sides of said non-woven board;
• said first outer skin layer is located only on said top surface of said non-woven board;
• said second outer skin layer is located only on said bottom surface of said non-woven board;
• said first and second outer skin layers are formed of the same material as said non-woven board;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers has a density and rigidity that is greater than a density and rigidity of a center or central portion of said non-woven board;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers has a thickness that is less than a thickness of said non-woven board;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers is formed from an outer portion of said non-woven board that has been subject to heat and said step of compressing;
• each of said first and second outer layers include melted together non-woven material that was caused to be melted when subjected to said heat and said step of compressing;
• said side edge is absent an outer skin that is formed by compressed fibers that include melted together fibers;
• said foundation wall insulation board has an R-value thermal resistance per inch thickness of at least 1;
• said plurality of fibers include bi-component fibers;
• said bi-component fibers include a core fiber and an outer coating;
• said outer coating on said bi-component fibers has a melting point that is less than a metaling point of said core fiber;
• said core fiber is formed of one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyamide nylon fibers, nylon fibers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), phenol-formaldehyde (PF), polyvinyl chloride, polyolefin, acrylic polyester, polyethylene, urethane, and polyurethane;
• said outer skin layer at least partially formed of said bi-component fibers being bonded and compressed together using heat and pressure to cause said outer coating to at least partially melt and bond with adjacently positioned bi-component fibers;
• and
• wherein said foundation wall insulation board has an R-value thermal resistance per inch thickness of at least 1;
• wherein said foundation wall insulation board is a rigid, non-rollable board;
• and said wherein foundation wall insulation board is formed of non-woven materials;
• and
• wherein each of said first and second outer skin layers has a reduced porosity and a reduced rate of water drainage through said first and second outer skin layers as compared to said non-woven board;
• said foundation wall insulation board is configured to have a vertical liquid drainage;
• said vertical liquid drainage per inch thickness is less than 125 gallons/hour/lineal-foot/inch at a pressure of 500 pounds per square foot (psf).

An insulated foundation for a building comprising:

• a foundation wall;
• and
• a foundation wall insulation board that is positioned adjacent to said foundation wall;
• said foundation wall insulation board comprises a non-woven board and first and second outer skin layers wherein said first outer skin layer is positioned on top surface of said non-woven board and said second outer skin layer is positioned on a bottom surface of said non-woven board, and wherein said top side of said non-woven board is opposite said bottom side of said non-woven board;
• said foundation wall insulation board is a rigid, non-rollable board;
• said foundation wall insulation board is formed of non-woven materials;
• said non-woven board includes a side edge that extends between said top and bottom sides of said non-woven board;
• said first outer skin layer is located only on said top surface of said non-woven board;
• said second outer skin layer is located only on said bottom surface of said non-woven board;
• said first and second outer skin layers are formed of the same material as said non-woven board;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers has a density and rigidity that is greater than a density and rigidity of a center or central portion of said non-woven board;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers has a thickness that is less than a thickness of said non-woven board;
• said non-woven board is at least partially formed of a plurality of fibers that are not woven together;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers is formed from an outer portion of said non-woven board that has been subject to compression and heat;
• each of said first and second outer layers include melted together non-woven material that was caused to be melted when subjected to said compression and heat;
• said side edge is absent an outer skin that is formed by compressed fibers that include melted together fibers;
• said foundation wall insulation board has an R-value thermal resistance per inch thickness of at least 1;
• said plurality of fibers include bi-component fibers;
• said bi-component fibers include a core fiber and an outer coating;
• said outer coating on said bi-component fibers has a melting point that is less than a metaling point of said core fiber;
• said core fiber is formed of one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyamide nylon fibers, nylon fibers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), phenol-formaldehyde (PF), polyvinyl chloride, polyolefin, acrylic polyester, polyethylene, urethane, and polyurethane;
• said outer skin layer at least partially formed of said bi-component fibers being bonded and compressed together using heat and pressure to cause said outer coating to at least partially melt and bond with adjacently positioned bi-component fibers;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers has a reduced porosity and a reduced rate of water drainage through said first and second outer skin layers as compared to said non-woven board;
• said foundation wall insulation board is configured to have a vertical liquid drainage;
• said vertical liquid drainage per inch thickness is less than 125 gallons/hour/lineal-foot/inch at a pressure of 500 pounds per square foot (psf).

A method for forming an insulated foundation comprising:

• providing a foundation wall;
• providing a foundation wall insulation board;
• said foundation wall insulation board comprises a non-woven board and first and second outer skin layers wherein said first outer skin layer is positioned on top surface of said non-woven board and said second outer skin layer is positioned on a bottom surface of said non-woven board, and wherein said top side of said non-woven board is opposite said bottom side of said non-woven board;
• said foundation wall insulation board is a rigid, non-rollable board;
• said foundation wall insulation board is formed of non-woven materials;
• said non-woven board includes a side edge that extends between said top and bottom sides of said non-woven board;
• said first outer skin layer is located only on said top surface of said non-woven board;
• said second outer skin layer is located only on said bottom surface of said non-woven board;
• said first and second outer skin layers are formed of the same material as said non-woven board;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers has a density and rigidity that is greater than a density and rigidity of a center or central portion of said non-woven board;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers has a thickness that is less than a thickness of said non-woven board;
• said non-woven board is at least partially formed of a plurality of fibers that are not woven together;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers is formed from an outer portion of said non-woven board that has been subject to compression and heat;
• each of said first and second outer layers include melted together non-woven material that was caused to be melted when subjected to said compression and heat;
• said side edge is absent an outer skin that is formed by compressed fibers that include melted together fibers;
• said foundation wall insulation board has an R-value thermal resistance per inch thickness of at least 1;
• said plurality of fibers include bi-component fibers;
• said bi-component fibers include a core fiber and an outer coating;
• said outer coating on said bi-component fibers has a melting point that is less than a metaling point of said core fiber;
• said core fiber is formed of one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyamide nylon fibers, nylon fibers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), phenol-formaldehyde (PF), polyvinyl chloride, polyolefin, acrylic polyester, polyethylene, urethane, and polyurethane;
• said outer skin layer at least partially formed of said bi-component fibers being bonded and compressed together using heat and pressure to cause said outer coating to at least partially melt and bond with adjacently positioned bi-component fibers;
• each of said first and second outer skin layers has a reduced porosity and a reduced rate of water drainage through said first and second outer skin layers as compared to said non-woven board;
• said foundation wall insulation board is configured to have a vertical liquid drainage;
• said vertical liquid drainage per inch thickness is less than 125 gallons/hour/lineal-foot/inch at a pressure of 500 pounds per square foot (psf);
• and
• positioning said foundation wall insulation board adjacent to said foundation wall.