Devices and methodd to provide air circulation space proximate to insulation material

Abstract

Insulation spacer devices, methods and related construction techniques are provided. An exemplary device may include a body having a plurality of openings defining an openwork, to allow the passage of air therethrough when placed in contact with insulation material. The device may further include a plurality of spacer struts and/or spacing depressions fixedly attached to the body. The struts may be configured to maintain a predetermined distance between a first side of the insulation material and a building surface. The body and struts act together to define and maintain a space between the first side of the insulation material and the building surface, for example, for ventilation. The building surface can be the bottom face of a roof, an insulated attic floor, wall sheathing or a soundproofed demising wall, for example. The spacer device can be capable of being transported and stored together with, or as a separate item from, the insulation material, and can also be stored in nested layers. The device can also be stored in rolled form. The openwork of the device can additionally or alternatively include a sheet of Entangled net filaments or other similar material.

1 . A method of constructing a building comprising:
 a) constructing a wall structure from a plurality of vertically-oriented studs to form an external wall of the building;   b) applying sheathing to an outer surface of the studs;   c) applying a spacer device to an inner surface of the sheathing in a space defined by adjacent studs, the spacer device having a thermoformed body defining a plurality of corrugations along the thermoformed body, the spacer defining a plurality of openings therethrough that permits moisture to pass through the spacer; and   b) disposing insulation material proximate the spacer device, wherein the corrugations of the spacer device act to space the insulation material from the sheathing to form a ventilation space between the building sheathing and the insulation material, wherein the openings defined by the spacer body permit moisture to be passed from the insulation material through the body of the spacer device into the ventilation space.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugations are directed parallel to the studs. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugations are directed perpendicularly to the studs. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the openings are aligned with the corrugations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer device is assembled from a plurality of smaller spacer devices that are overlapped and held together by at least one attachment inserts, the attachment insert having a body that includes at least one protrusion for mating with aligned openings defined through the plurality of smaller spacer devices. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the spacer device is secured to the wall structure by applying a fastener to the attachment insert to attach the attachment insert to the wall structure. 
     
     
         7 . An insulation batt made from a mass of polymeric thermoplastic fibers, wherein the batt includes a longitudinal surface including at least one longitudinal groove formed into the batt along its length to form at least one ventilation channel for facilitating ventilation of the insulation batt after installation. 
     
     
         8 . The insulation batt of  claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal groove is formed by the application of pressure and heat to the batt. 
     
     
         9 . A building structure, comprising:
 a) a wall and/or structure from a plurality of vertically-oriented studs and/or rafters to form an external panel of the building;   b) sheathing applied to an outer surface of the studs and/or rafters to form an inwardly facing building surface;   c) the insulation batt of  claim 7  disposed between the studs and/or rafters, wherein the longitudinal surface having the at least one groove is oriented to contact the inwardly facing building surface, such that the at least one groove is vertically oriented to define at least one ventilation channel between the interior building surface and the insulation material, wherein the heat and moisture can be transported from the insulation material into the at least one ventilation channel to permit ventilation of the insulation.