US 7,802,403 B2Granted

Refrigeration vapor intrusion retardant system and method of installation

OwnerEric John Finnerty, Darryl Jackson McCroryinventors

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Abstract

Commercial meat and perishable product refrigeration buildings commonly suffer from infiltration of moisture which normally occurs at the roof/wall junction where the roof meets the walls. Warm moist outside air is drawn into the cooler because of the lower pressure therein and once inside, forms ice which lowers the cooler temperature and causes freezer burn. By removing the building roof, and installing a moisture proof 40-50 mil thick sheet polymer membrane onto the cooler wall panels, over the top sill plate and the top header ledger board then welding it at the roof perimeter to the roofing membrane, an impermeable seal can be formed. To ensure the unitary integrity of the system, a flexible polymer mastic is trawled onto the wall panels before the membrane is affixed and a double sealing strip is screwed into the membrane though the mastic and into the wall panels.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method of retarding vapor intrusion into a building comprising the steps of:

1. removing a roof structure of said building;
2. applying a water resistant, synthetic high tack mastic to all wall panels and all peripheral vertical roof supports on the areas that contact said roof structure;
3. applying a first water insoluble caulking strip in a ring about said building on an interior surface of said wall panels;
4. installing a first membrane such that a first edge of said first membrane overlaps said first caulking strip and said first membrane resides atop said applied synthetic mastic;
5. affixing said first edge of said first membrane to said wall panels with mechanical fasteners that compress a double sealing strip means on said first membrane, adjacent to said first edge and atop said first caulking strip;
6. pressure rolling said first membrane into said mastic to eliminate air pockets and improve adhesion;
7. replacing said roof structure;
8. folding said first membrane onto a top surface of said roof structure;
9. affixing said first membrane to said top surface of said roof structure with at least one mechanical fastener and polymer wall membrane securement means;
10. installing a seam sealed unitary second membrane over said roof and overlapping said second membrane onto the exposed roof sections of said second membrane;
11. seam seal said second membrane to said first membrane so as to form a unitary membrane seal about said roof structure.

8 more elements

A seal for minimizing vapor intrusion into a building between a building roof, a building wall, vertical roof support members, building floor slab, and building foundation wall comprised of:

a seamless, planar, alkaline resistant, UV resistant, flexible, scrim reinforced thermoplastic roof geomembrane;
a seamless, planar, alkaline resistant, UV resistant, flexible, scrim reinforced thermoplastic wall geomembrane;
a high tack, water resistant, trowelable synthetic rubber mastic sealant;
a self leveling, easy flowing, high tack strength, non crazing, water insoluble, UV resistant urethane compound silicone caulking;
a geomembrane double sealing strip means;
at least one corrosion resistant mechanical fastener;
and
at least one polymer wall membrane securement means;
wherein a first edge of said wall geomembrane is secured to an inside surface of said wall by at least one said mechanical fastener passing through said double sealing strip means and said caulking which is sandwiched between said wall and said wall geomembrane, and wherein a second edge of said wall geomembrane is secured to an exterior surface of said roof by at least one said mechanical fastener passing through said wall membrane securement means residing atop at least one layer of said wall geomembrane, and wherein said wall geomembrane resides between said roof and said vertical roof support members as well as between said wall and said roof;
and wherein said mastic sealant resides between said wall geomembrane and said wall and between said wall geomembrane and said vertical roof support members, and wherein said roof geomembrane extends over said wall geomembrane and said wall membrane securement means and said geomembranes are seam sealed so as to form a unitary seal between said wall and said roof of a building.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/152,755Filed 16 May 2008
Published: US 2009/0282765 A119 Nov 2009
Granted: 28 Sep 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

E04B 1/70
Insulation or other protection; Elements or use of specified material therefor: drying or keeping dry, e.g. by air vents
E04F 15/18
Flooring: separately-laid insulating layers; Other additional insulating measures; Floating floors
E04F 15/183
Underlayers coated with adhesive or mortar to receive the flooring: for areas prone to frost damage, e.g. for balconies or terraces
E04B
General building constructions