MOISTURE REDUCTION AND MOLD AND MOISTURE DAMAGE PREVENTATIVE SYSTEM AND METHOD IN CONSTRUCTION

• US 20150121716A1
• Filed: 01/08/2015
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savanah Intellectual Property LLC
• Original Assignee: Savannah IP, Inc.
• Inventors: WEISENBERGER, Andrew R., WEISENBERGER, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,234,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/282
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/70 Drying or keeping dry, e.g. by air vents using damp-proof courses E04B1/644; using sealings, e.g. sealing masses or foils, E04B1/66; during erection E04G21/28
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/14 by humidification; by dehumidification
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/06 Controlling, e.g. regulating, parameters of gas supply F26B21/14 takes precedence; control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 5/00 Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat separating liquids from solids by straining B01D; replacing liquids in wet solids by other liquids, e.g. water by spirit, B01D12/00; drying by electrophoresis B01J

Abstract

A moisture removal system and method employing air movers, dehumidifiers, heaters and attendant methods for reducing moisture in a construction project. The method and system include operating moisture removal equipment and testing moisture content levels sufficient to reduce the moisture content levels to a desired threshold to reduce the likelihood of mold growing or moisture damage in the construction after it is completed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

means for measuring a moisture content at a plurality of locations within a building, wherein the measured moisture content is compared with a threshold moisture content level to determine if a drying operation needs to be performed in the building;

means for substantially sealing a space of the building; and

means for drying the sealed space in order to reduce the moisture content, wherein the means for drying is entirely located within the building during the drying operation, wherein the means for drying comprises a number of drying devices, and wherein the number of drying devices is determined based, at least in part, on the measured moisture content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the space comprises the building, and wherein the building is substantially sealed relative to outside of the building.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the space comprises one or more rooms of the building, and wherein the one or more rooms are substantially sealed relative to other rooms of the building.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for drying is entirely located within the space.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for drying comprises means for drying, prior to the measuring, the space for a period of time, and wherein the moisture content is measured after drying the space for the period of time.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising means for determining whether additional operation of the means for drying is required in order to further reduce the moisture content.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for determining whether additional operation of the means for drying is required comprises means for determining whether to increase the number of drying devices.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for determining whether additional operation of the means for drying is required comprises means for determining whether to move a portion of the number of drying devices to new locations within the space.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of locations comprise a high location within the space and a low location within the space, and wherein the means for measuring comprises means for measuring both the high location and the low location.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein both the high location and the low location are measured on one or more exposed studs within the space.

11. A method, comprising:

measuring a moisture content at a plurality of locations within a building, wherein the measured moisture content is compared with a threshold moisture content level to determine if a drying operation needs to be performed in the building;

substantially sealing a space of the building; and

drying, with a number of drying devices, the sealed space in order to reduce the moisture content, wherein the number of drying devices are entirely located within the building during the drying operation, and wherein the number of drying devices is determined based, at least in part, on the measured moisture content.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the space comprises the building, and wherein the building is substantially sealed relative to outside of the building.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the space comprises one or more rooms of the building, and wherein the one or more rooms are substantially sealed relative to other rooms of the building.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the number of drying devices are entirely located within the space.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the measuring comprises:

measuring the moisture content at a high location within the space; and

measuring the moisture content at a low location within the space.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the drying comprises drying, prior to the measuring, the space of the building for a period of time, and wherein the moisture content is measured after drying the space of the building for the period of time.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether the moisture content is being reduced;

identifying, in response to determining that the moisture content is not being reduced, a source of a moisture leak into the sealed space.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining whether additional operation of the number of drying devices is required in order to further reduce the moisture content.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, in response to determining the additional operation is required, increasing the number of drying devices operating during the additional operation.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising, in response to determining the additional operation is required, moving a portion of the number of drying devices to new locations within the space prior to the additional operation.