Vapor barrier for use in the heat insulation of buildings

Abstract

The invention relates to a vapor barrier for use in the thermal insulation of buildings which can be used, in particular, for thermal insulation procedures in new buildings or in the renovation of old buildings. The vapor barrier in accordance with the invention is thereby capable of achieving water vapor exchange under different ambient conditions. This is achieved by using a material which has a water vapor diffusion resistance which is dependent on the ambient humidity and which also has adequate tensile strength and tear resistance.

1 - 33 . (canceled)  
   
   
       34 . A method for providing a vapor barrier to a building, comprising installing a film on at least a part of the building, wherein the film has a water vapor diffusion resistance dependent on ambient humidity.  
   
   
       35 . A method for providing a vapor barrier to a building, comprising installing a film on at least a part of the building, wherein the film is arranged facing the interior of the building and wherein the film has a water vapor diffusion resistance dependent on ambient humidity.  
   
   
       36 . A method for providing a vapor barrier to a building, comprising installing a film on at least a part of the building, wherein the film has a water vapor diffusion resistance dependent on ambient humidity and wherein the film has a higher water-vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity compared to the vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 80% ambient humidity; and a lower vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 90% ambient humidity relative to the vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity.  
   
   
       37 . A method for providing a vapor barrier to a building, comprising installing a film on at least a part of the building, wherein the film is arranged facing the interior of the building, wherein the film has a water vapor diffusion resistance dependent on ambient humidity, and wherein the film has a higher water-vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity compared to the vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 80% ambient humidity; 
 and a lower vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 90% ambient humidity relative to the vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity.    
   
   
       38 . The method of claim  33 , which further comprises installing a carrier material along with the film.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the carrier material has a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the carrier material is selected from the group consisting of particle board, chip board, oriented strand board, plywood paneling, gypsum board, fiber reinforced gypsum board, fiber board, cement board, cementitious wood wool board, calcium silica board, fiber insulation batts, fiber insulation slabs, foam insulation slabs, wall paper, and cloth.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the carrier material is a fiber-reinforced cellulose material.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising installing at least two layers of a carrier material along with the film, wherein the film is sandwiched between two layers of carrier material, the two layers of carrier material having a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the film comprises polyamide.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the polyamide is selected from the group consisting of polyamide  6 , polyamide  4 , and polyamide  3 .  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the polyamide is polyamide  6 .  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 35 , which further comprises installing a carrier material along with the film.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the carrier material has a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the carrier material is selected from the group consisting of particle board, chip board, oriented strand board, plywood paneling, gypsum board, fiber reinforced gypsum board, fiber board, cement board, cementitious wood wool board, calcium silica board, fiber insulation batts, fiber insulation slabs, foam insulation slabs, wall paper, and cloth.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the carrier material is a fiber-reinforced cellulose material.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising installing at least two layers of a carrier material along with the film, wherein the film is sandwiched between two layers of carrier material, the two layers of carrier material having a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the film comprises polyamide.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the polyamide is selected from the group consisting of polyamide  6 , polyamide  4 , and polyamide  3 .  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the polyamide is polyamide  6 .  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 36 , which further comprises installing a carrier material along with the film.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the carrier material has a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the carrier material is selected from the group consisting of particle board, chip board, oriented strand board, plywood paneling, gypsum board, fiber reinforced gypsum board, fiber board, cement board, cementitious wood wool board, calcium silica board, fiber insulation batts, fiber insulation slabs, foam insulation slabs, wall paper, and cloth.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the carrier material is a fiber-reinforced cellulose material.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising installing at least two layers of a carrier material along with the film, wherein the film is sandwiched between two layers of carrier material, the two layers of carrier material having a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the film comprises polyamide.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the polyamide is selected from the group consisting of polyamide  6 , polyamide  4 , and polyamide  3 .  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the polyamide is polyamide  6 .  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 37 , which further comprises installing a carrier material along with the film.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the carrier material has a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the carrier material is selected from the group consisting of particle board, chip board, oriented strand board, plywood paneling, gypsum board, fiber reinforced gypsum board, fiber board, cement board, cementitious wood wool board, calcium silica board, fiber insulation batts, fiber insulation slabs, foam insulation slabs, wall paper, and cloth.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the carrier material is a fiber-reinforced cellulose material.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising installing at least two layers of a carrier material along with the film, wherein the film is sandwiched between two layers of carrier material, the two layers of carrier material having a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the film comprises polyamide.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the polyamide is selected from the group consisting of polyamide  6 , polyamide  4 , and polyamide  3 .  
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein the polyamide is polyamide  6 .  
   
   
       70 . An article comprising (i) fibrous insulation suitable for use in as a building insulation and (ii) a film having a water vapor diffusion resistance dependent on ambient humidity.  
   
   
       71 . The article of  claim 70 , wherein the film has a higher water-vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity compared to the vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 80% ambient humidity; and a lower vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 90% ambient humidity relative to the vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity  
   
   
       72 . The article of  claim 70 , which further comprises a carrier material attached to the film.  
   
   
       73 . The article of  claim 72 , wherein the carrier material has a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       74 . The article of  claim 72 , wherein the carrier material is selected from the group consisting of particle board, chip board, oriented strand board, plywood paneling, gypsum board, fiber reinforced gypsum board, fiber board, cement board, cementitious wood wool board, calcium silica board, fiber insulation batts, fiber insulation slabs, foam insulation slabs, wall paper, and cloth.  
   
   
       75 . The article of  claim 70 , further comprising at least two layers of a carrier material attached to the film, wherein the film is sandwiched between two layers of carrier material, the two layers of carrier material having a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       76 . The article of  claim 70 , wherein the film comprises polyamide.  
   
   
       77 . A wall of a building, comprising a film attached to the wall of the building, wherein the film has a water vapor diffusion resistance dependent on the ambient humidity.  
   
   
       78 . The wall of  claim 77 , wherein the film has a higher water-vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity compared to the vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 80% ambient humidity; and a lower vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 90% ambient humidity relative to the vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity.  
   
   
       79 . The wall of  claim 77 , which further comprises a carrier material attached to the film.  
   
   
       80 . The wall of  claim 79 , wherein the carrier material has a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       81 . The wall of  claim 79 , wherein the carrier material is selected from the group consisting of particle board, chip board, oriented strand board, plywood paneling, gypsum board, fiber reinforced gypsum board, fiber board, cement board, cementitious wood wool board, calcium silica board, fiber insulation batts, fiber insulation slabs, foam insulation slabs, wall paper, and cloth.  
   
   
       82 . The wall of  claim 77 , further comprising at least two layers of a carrier material attached to the film, wherein the film is sandwiched between two layers of carrier material, the two layers of carrier material having a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       83 . The wall of  claim 77 , wherein the film comprises polyamide.  
   
   
       84 . A roof of a building, comprising a film attached to the roof of the building, wherein the film has a water vapor diffusion resistance dependent on the ambient humidity.  
   
   
       85 . The roof of  claim 84 , which further comprises a carrier material attached to the film.  
   
   
       86 . The roof of  claim 84 , wherein the film has a higher water-vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity compared to the vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 80% ambient humidity; and a lower vapor diffusion resistance at 50 to 90% ambient humidity relative to the vapor diffusion resistance at 30 to 50% ambient humidity.  
   
   
       87 . The roof of  claim 85 , wherein the carrier material has a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       88 . The roof of  claim 85 , wherein the carrier material is selected from the group consisting of particle board, chip board, oriented strand board, plywood paneling, gypsum board, fiber reinforced gypsum board, fiber board, cement board, cementitious wood wool board, calcium silica board, fiber insulation batts, fiber insulation slabs, foam insulation slabs, wall paper, and cloth.  
   
   
       89 . The roof of  claim 84 , further comprising at least two layers of a carrier material attached to the film, wherein the film is sandwiched between two layers of carrier material, the two layers of carrier material having a water vapor diffusion resistance which is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of the film.  
   
   
       90 . The roof of  claim 84 , wherein the film comprises polyamide.