Ventilated and draining foam insulation panel for building construction

Abstract

A method for facilitating ventilation and/or drainage in a building wall, floor, and/or roof by the step of: placing a foam insulation board with an interior board face and an exterior board face, at least one board face having ventilation and/or drainage grooves and/or protrusions into the building wall, floor, and/or roof; providing vents in the building wall, floor, and/or roof adjacent end portions of the insulation board, whereby ventilation is facilitated within the wall, floor, and/or roof of the building by air moving through the vents, along the grooves and/or protrusions of the foam insulation board, and out of the vents, drainage of water is facilitated within the wall or the roof of the building by a pathway created by the grooves and/or protrusions, and moisture removal is facilitated by the passage of air during ventilation.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for facilitating ventilation and/or drainage in a building wall, floor, and/or roof by the step of:
 placing a foam insulation board with an interior board face and an exterior board face, at least one board face having ventilation and/or drainage grooves and/or protrusions into the building wall, floor, and/or roof,   providing vents in the building wall, floor, and/or roof adjacent end portions of the insulation board,   whereby ventilation is facilitated within the wall, floor, and/or roof of the building by air moving through the vents, along the grooves and/or protrusions of the foam insulation board, and out of the vents, drainage of water is facilitated within the wall or the roof of the building by a pathway created by the grooves and/or protrusions, and moisture removal is facilitated by the passage of air during ventilation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ventilation and/or drainage grooves and/or protrusions are on both faces of the board. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the foam has a density in the range of about 15-60 Kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the grooves depth (or the protrusion height) is in the range of about 0.125-0.75 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a thickness of the foam insulation board is in a range of about 1-6 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the grooves and/or protrusion are horizontally and vertically disposed on the board. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising a thermal foil affixed to the face of the board. 
     
     
         8 . A wall, floor, and/or roof of a building comprises:
 a frame with an exterior frame face;   a sheathing with an exterior sheathing face covering the exterior face of the frame;   a foam insulation board with an interior board face and an exterior board face, at least one board face having ventilation and/or drainage grooves and/or protrusions; and   a veneer covering the exterior board face of the insulation board,   whereby ventilation is facilitated within the wall, floor, and/or roof of the building by air moving along the grooves and/or protrusions of the foam insulation board, and out away from the foam insulation board, drainage of water is facilitated within the wall, floor, and/or the roof of the building by a pathway created by the grooves and/or protrusions, and moisture removal is facilitated by the passage of air during ventilation.   
     
     
         9 . The wall, floor, and/or roof of  claim 8  wherein the ventilation and/or drainage grooves and/or protrusions are on both faces of the board. 
     
     
         10 . The wall, floor, and/or roof of  claim 8  wherein the foam has a density in the range of about 15-60 Kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         11 . The wall, floor, and/or roof of  claim 8  wherein the grooves depth (or the protrusion height) is in the range of about 0.125-0.75 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The wall, floor, and/or roof of  claim 8  wherein a thickness of the foam board is in a range of about 1-6 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The wall, floor, and/or roof of  claim 8  wherein the grooves and/or protrusion are horizontally and vertically disposed on the board. 
     
     
         14 . The wall, floor, and/or roof of  claim 8  further comprising a thermal foil affixed to the face of the board. 
     
     
         15 . A foam insulation board for building constructions that facilitates ventilation, moisture removal, and drainage comprises:
 a foam insulation board with an interior board face and an exterior board face, at least one board face having ventilation and/or drainage grooves and/or protrusions,   whereby ventilation is facilitated within a wall, floor, and/or roof of the building by air moving, along the grooves and/or protrusions of the foam insulation board, and out away from the foam insulation board, drainage of water is facilitated within the wall, floor, and/or roof of the building by a pathway created by the grooves and/or protrusions, and moisture removal is facilitated by the passage of air during ventilation.   
     
     
         16 . The foam insulation board of  claim 15  wherein the ventilation and/or drainage grooves and/or protrusions are on both faces of the board. 
     
     
         17 . The foam insulation board of  claim 15  wherein the foam has a density in the range of about 15-60 Kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         18 . The foam insulation board of  claim 15  wherein the grooves depth (or the protrusion height) is in the range of about 0.125-0.75 inches. 
     
     
         19 . The foam insulation board of  claim 15  wherein a thickness of the foam board is in a range of about 1-6 inches. 
     
     
         20 . The foam board of  claim 15  wherein the grooves and/or protrusion are horizontally and vertically disposed on the board. 
     
     
         21 . The foam board of  claim 15  further comprising a thermal foil affixed to the face of the board.