Pressurizing buildings to improve drying

Abstract

A method of drying a building includes closing all openings in the building such that air movement out of the building is restricted, drawing air from outside the building, heating the outside air, and directing a stream of the heated outside air into the building through an input duct. The building air pressure of air inside the building is measured and compared to a desired building air pressure that is less than the input pressure. Where the measured building air pressure is greater than the desired building air pressure, a substantially controlled flow of air is allowed to exit the building at an exhaust location and the flow of air from the building is controlled to maintain the building air pressure at the desired air pressure.

1 . A method of drying an interior of a building, the method comprising: 
 closing substantially all openings in the building such that air movement out of the building is restricted;    drawing outside air from outside the building, heating the outside air, and directing a stream of the heated outside air into the building through at least one input duct at an input pressure;    measuring a building air pressure of air inside the building;    comparing the measured building air pressure to a desired building air pressure that is less than the input pressure; and    where the measured building air pressure is greater than the desired building air pressure, allowing a substantially controlled flow of air to exit the building at an exhaust location and controlling the flow of air from the building to maintain the building air pressure substantially at the desired air pressure.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, where the measured building air pressure is less than the desired building air pressure, drawing an increased volume of outside air into the building.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising increasing the amount of air drawn into the building until the desired building air pressure is substantially maintained.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  comprising configuring an input location of the at least one input duct and the exhaust location such that an air flow is created from the input location through a desired area of the building to the exhaust location.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  comprising allowing a substantially controlled flow of air to exit the building at first and second exhaust locations configured such that a first air flow is created from the input location through a first desired area of the building to the first exhaust location and such that a second air flow is created from the input location through a second desired area of the building to the second exhaust location.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  comprising directing a stream of the heated outside air into the building through a plurality of input ducts located at a plurality of input locations.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the desired building air pressure is between 0.25″ WC and 0.70″ WC compared to an ambient pressure of the outside air.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the outside air is heated with a heating element, and wherein the amount of heat supplied to the air stream is adjusted.