Water-Shedding Flashings
A water-shedding flashing is sized and shaped to drain water away from a building. The flashing includes an elongate flexible membrane including a matrix and hydrophobic material within the matrix. The hydrophobic material within the matrix is present at surfaces of the membrane in quantities to reduce surface adhesion of water on the elongate flexible membrane.
1 . A water-shedding flashing sized and shaped to drain water away from a building, the flashing comprising an elongate flexible membrane including a matrix and hydrophobic material within the matrix, the hydrophobic material within the matrix being present at surfaces of the membrane in quantities to reduce surface adhesion of water on the elongate flexible membrane.
2 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic material is dispersed throughout the matrix.
3 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 2 , wherein the hydrophobic material is uniformly dispersed throughout the matrix.
4 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic material is intermixed with the matrix.
5 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 1 , wherein the matrix comprises a resin.
6 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 5 , wherein the resin comprises approximately 50%-90% of the matrix.
7 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 6 , wherein the hydrophobic material comprises approximately 10%-50% of the matrix.
8 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 5 , wherein the resin is selected from a group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, ethylene propylene diene monomer, recycled rubber, Elvaloy, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polyethylene teraphalate, polypropylene, styrene isoprene styrene, styrene ethylene butadiene styrene, and styrene ethylene propylene.
9 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic material is selected from a group consisting of titanium dioxide rutile, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, and silicon oxide.
10 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 1 , wherein the reduction of the surface adhesion of water on the elongate flexible membrane is characterized by a water contact angle of at least 120 degrees.
11 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 1 , wherein the reduction of the surface adhesion of water on the elongate flexible membrane is characterized by a water contact angle of at least 150 degrees.
12 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer disposed on the elongate flexible membrane for use in mounting the elongate flexible membrane on a cavity wall such that the water shedding flashing facilitates the removal of water and water vapor from the cavity wall.
13 . A water-shedding flashing as recited in claim 12 , further comprising a release sheet disposed on the adhesive layer.
14 . A method of making a water-shedding flashing comprising:
providing a matrix material;
introducing a hydrophobic material to the matrix material;
mixing the matrix material and the hydrophobic material to form a matrix;
extruding an elongate flexible membrane sized and shaped to drain water away from a building from the matrix to form a water-shedding flashing having the hydrophobic material present at the surfaces of the elongate flexible membrane.
15 . A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein providing a matrix material comprises providing resin pellets and introducing a hydrophobic material comprises introducing hydrophobic material pellets for mixing with the resin pellets.
16 . A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein introducing a hydrophobic material comprises introducing the hydrophobic material in liquid form for mixing with the matrix material.
17 . A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein mixing the matrix material and the hydrophobic material comprises forming a substantially uniform composite matrix.