Mold and mildew resistant openwork building material

Abstract

A roll-form building material spacer product providing air space and drainage passageways within a building structure. The building material spacer has an openwork structure and carries an antifungal agent which prevents the growth of mold and mildew within a building structure in which the spacer is installed. Preferably, the antifungal agent is dispersed evenly throughout the openwork material either within the material or coated on the material. A building structure assembly having the openwork spacer and methods of making an openwork spacer and making a building structure with the spacer are also provided.

1 . A building material spacer for use in constructing a building structure, comprising: 
 a continuous, indeterminate-length web of material storable as a spiral roll rolled lengthwise about an imaginary central axis and unrollable lengthwise during installation;    said material having an openwork structure which, when installed within a building structure, provides an airspace and ventilation and drainage pathways therein for preventing moisture from being trapped within the building structure and for thereby preventing deterioration of the building structure; and    said material carrying an antifungal agent to prevent growth of mold and mildew within a building structure when installed therein.    
     
     
         2 . A spacer according to  claim 1 , wherein said antifungal agent is substantially evenly dispersed throughout the length of the web of material.  
     
     
         3 . A spacer according to  claim 2 , wherein said antifungal agent is carried and embedded within said material.  
     
     
         4 . A spacer according to  claim 2 , wherein said antifungal agent is carried as a coating on said material.  
     
     
         5 . A spacer according to  claim 1 , wherein said web of material is elastically compressible and has a compression strength sufficient to withstand at least about 200 pounds per square foot (psf) of pressure.  
     
     
         6 . A spacer according to  claim 1 , wherein said openwork structure is made of a mat of randomly convoluted polymeric filaments.  
     
     
         7 . A spacer according to  claim 1 , wherein said material is corrugated.  
     
     
         8 . A spacer according to  claim 1 , wherein said material has a front and rear face and a plurality of hollow projections extending outwardly from at least one of said faces.  
     
     
         9 . A spacer according to  claim 1 , wherein a fabric material is secured to one of said faces of said web of material to reinforce said web of material.  
     
     
         10 . A spacer according to  claim 1 , wherein said material is made of a web of a thermoformable plastic sheet material.  
     
     
         11 . A spacer according to  claim 10 , wherein said thermoformable plastic sheet material has a series of apertures providing transverse passageways.  
     
     
         12 . A spacer according to  claim 1 , wherein said web of material is made of a house wrap material having a plurality of dimple spacing elements projecting transversely from at least one face thereof.  
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a spacer building material, comprising the steps of: 
 producing a continuous, indeterminate-length openwork web of material;    dispersing an antifungal agent throughout said openwork web of material; and    rolling said web of material lengthwise into a spiral roll about an imaginary central axis;    whereby, in use, said spacer building material is unrolled and installed within a building structure to prevent growth of mold and mildew and to provide an airspace and ventilation and drainage pathways for preventing moisture from being trapped within the building structure and from deteriorating the building structure.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said antifungal agent is dispersed substantially evenly throughout said openwork web of material.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of adding said antifungal agent to a material utilized to make said openwork web of material before said step of producing said openwork web of material.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of applying said antifungal agent onto said openwork web of material after said step of producing said openwork web of material.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein said step of applying said antifungal agent is accomplished before said step of rolling said web of material.  
     
     
         18 . A method of-assembling a building structure, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a spiral roll of an elongate web of an openwork material adjacent an inner sheathing of a building structure;    unrolling and placing said web along said inner sheathing; and    installing an outer building material relative to said inner sheathing such that said openwork material is sandwiched between said inner sheathing and said outer building material;    said openwork material providing an airspace and ventilation and drainage pathways within the building structure to prevent moisture from being trapped within the building structure and to thereby prevent deterioration of the building structure; and    said openwork material carrying an antifungal agent to prevent growth of mold and mildew within the building structure.    
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein said antifungal agent is applied to and carried by said openwork material before said step of unrolling said spiral roll of said web of openwork material such that said step of placing said web of openwork material along said inner sheathing also accomplishes a step of applying an antifungal agent within the building structure.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of applying said antifungal agent to said openwork material after said unrolling step.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of securing a membrane to said inner sheathing before placing said web along said inner sheathing, wherein said membrane is selected from the group consisting of a housewrap material, an asphalt impregnated felt, a building paper, a roofing felt, and a vapor permeable membrane that permits moisture to exit through the building structure and blocks moisture from entering through the building structure.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to claim  36 , wherein said outer building material is selected from the group consisting of wood, brick, metal, fiber cement, vinyl siding material, stucco, shingles, cladding materials and exterior insulation finish systems (EIFS).  
     
     
         23 . A building structure having drainage passageways and air spaces therein to prevent moisture from being trapped within the building structure and to retard deterioration of the building structure, comprising: 
 an inner sheathing member;    an outer building material; and    an elongate web of openwork material located between said inner sheathing member and said outer building material for providing drainage passageways and air spaces therein to prevent moisture from being trapped between said inner sheathing member and said outer building material;    said openwork material carrying an antifungal agent to prevent growth of mold and mildew within the building structure.    
     
     
         24 . A spacer according to  claim 23 , wherein said antifungal agent is substantially evenly dispersed throughout the length of said web of openwork material.  
     
     
         25 . A spacer according to  claim 23 , wherein said antifungal agent is dispersed within said web of openwork material.  
     
     
         26 . A spacer according to  claim 23 , wherein said antifungal agent is coated on said web of openwork material.  
     
     
         27 . A building structure according to  claim 23 , wherein the building structure forms a wall of a building.  
     
     
         28 . A building structure according to  claim 23 , wherein the building structure forms a roof of a building.  
     
     
         29 . A building structure according to  claim 23 , further comprising a membrane located between said inner sheathing member and said web of openwork material, and wherein said membrane is selected from the group consisting of a housewrap material, an asphalt impregnated felt, a building paper, a roofing felt, and a vapor permeable membrane that permits moisture to exit through the building structure and blocks moisture from entering through the building structure.  
     
     
         30 . A building structure according to  claim 23 , wherein said outer building material is selected from the group consisting of wood, brick, metal, fiber cement, vinyl siding material, stucco, shingles, cladding materials and exterior insulation finish systems (EIFS).