US-12616859-B2 - Method of and system for defending home building projects from wildfire during and after construction on property located within a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region

US12616859B2US 12616859 B2US12616859 B2US 12616859B2US-12616859-B2

Abstract

A wildfire defense system trailer and method of installing an automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system on a home construction site before the starting of the construction phase of a home building project in a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region. The first commissioned automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system will continue in operation all during the home building construction phase, and will only be decommissioned from operation, and removed from the premises (including the job-site wildfire defense system trailer being removed from the property) when construction of the wood home building project is totally completed, and the wood home building is ready for occupation. At the same time when the first system is decommissioned, a second permanently-installed automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system will be completely installed within the new home construction, independent from the first system, and ready for commissioning to provide a new proactive measure of defense against a wildfire storm occurring after home building construction has been completed, thereby protecting all wood and combustible surfaces on the home and surrounding property, and preventing fire ignition and flame spread until the wildfire storm passes through the WUI region. By virtue of the present invention, it is now possible to significantly reduce the risk of wood home building construction projects occurring within a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region, and better support the underwriting of home construction and ownership insurance policies within such regions.

Inventors

Stephen Conboy

Assignees

MIGHTY FIRE BREAKER LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240123

Claims (11)

1 . A method of home construction wildfire defense protection involving constructing, commissioning, and decommissioning two different and independent sprinkler-based home wildfire defense spraying systems, at different phases of a home building project in a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region, said method comprising the steps of: wherein at beginning of the construction phase of the home building project, a first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system is installed and commissioned for operation on the construction job-site using a wildfire defense system trailer to provide a liquid fire inhibitor supply, sprinkler pumping operations, and automated controls and monitoring during the entire construction phase, thereby providing a proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the home building under construction and its surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring during the construction phase; and wherein when said first commissioned automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system is decommissioned, after the home building project has been completed, a second permanently-installed automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system completely installed within the constructed home building, independent from said first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system, is ready for commissioning to provide a new proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the constructed home building and surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring after said home building project has been completed, thereby protecting all wood and combustible surfaces on said new home building and surrounding property, and preventing fire ignition and flame spread until the wildfire storm passes through the WUI region.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first commissioned automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system will continue in operation all during the home building construction phase, and will be decommissioned from operation, and removed from the premises along with said wildfire defense system trailer used during the home building construction phase, when construction of the wood home building project is completed and the wood home building is ready for occupation.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein at the same time when said first commissioned automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system is decommissioned, said second permanently-installed automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system is completely installed within the new home building, independent from said first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system, and ready for commissioning to provide a new proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the constructed home building and its surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring after the construction phrase has been completed, thereby protecting all wood and combustible surfaces on the home building and surrounding property, and preventing fire ignition and flame spread until the wildfire storm passes through the WUI region.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said wildfire defense system trailer comprises a kit of components for installing said first commissioned automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system about home construction site before the starting of the construction phase of the home building project in the WUI region, wherein said first commissioned automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system provides a proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the home construction job-site during a wildfire storm, protecting all wood and combustible surfaces on the home construction job-site and prevent fire ignition and flame spread until the wildfire storm passes through the WUI region.
5 . A method of constructing, commissioning, and decommissioning two different and independent sprinkler-based home wildfire defense spraying systems, at different phases of the home building project, said method comprising the steps of: (a) at beginning of the construction phase of a home building project, installing and commissioning a first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system for operation on a construction job-site using a wildfire defense system trailer to provide a supply of environmentally-clean liquid fire inhibitor, sprinkler-based spraying and pumping operations, and automated controls and monitoring during the entire construction phase, by automatically spraying environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor over combustible surfaces on the property, and as water molecules in the environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor evaporate to the environment, forming thin fire-inhibiting alkali metal salt crystalline coatings on sprayed property, and inhibiting fire ignition and flame spread in the presence of wildfire, thereby providing a proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the constructed home and its surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring during the construction phase; (b) continuing operation of said first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system all during the construction phase; (c) when said wood-building construction project is completed and said wood-building is ready for occupation, decommissioning said operations, and removing said first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system from the premises, including said wildfire defense system trailer being towed away to a new location and old sprinklers and piping removed from the property; and (d) once said wood-building construction project is completed and said wood building is ready for occupation, commissioning a second permanently-installed automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system, independent from said first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system, so as to provide a new measure of proactive wildfire defense against hot flying embers entering the constructed home building and its surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring after the construction phase has been completed, by automatically spraying environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor over combustible surfaces on the property and said completed wood building, and as water molecules in the environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor evaporate to the environment, thin fire-inhibiting alkali metal salt crystalline coatings forming on sprayed property, and inhibiting fire ignition and flame spread in the presence of wildfire, and thereby providing a proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the constructed home and its surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring during the construction phase.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said wildfire defense system trailer used in said first automated wildfire defense spraying system comprises: a first supply tank containing a supply of said environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor comprising an alkali metal salt of a nonpolymeric carboxylic acid, and triethyl citrate (TEC) dissolved in an amount of water along with said alkali metal salt of a nonpolymeric carboxylic acid so as to formulate said environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor which remains stable without the formation of solids at expected operating temperatures, and ready for immediate spraying on the home-building job-site and surrounding property; a first hydraulic pump system for pumping said environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor from said supply through piping to a first set of spray heads mounted about the home building and said property, to produce a first spray pattern of environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor covering the building and property to be defended against wildfire; and wherein, when said first hydraulic pump system completes pumping environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor from said first supply tank and its automated spraying operations, said first hydraulic pump system automatically stops pumping operations, and as water molecules in the environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor evaporate to the environment, thin fire-inhibiting alkali metal salt crystalline coatings form on sprayed property, inhibiting fire ignition and flame spread in the presence of wildfire.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said alkali metal salt comprises tripotassium citrate (TPC).
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said second automated wildfire defense spraying system comprises: a second supply tank containing a supply of said environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor comprising a major amount of an alkali metal salt of a nonpolymeric carboxylic acid, and a minor amount of triethyl citrate (TEC) dissolved in a major amount of water according to a prespecified formulation, wherein said environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor remains stable without the formation of solids at expected operating temperatures, and ready for immediate spraying on the home-building job-site and surrounding property; a second hydraulic pump system for pumping said environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor from said supply through piping to a second set of spray heads mounted about the building and said property, to produce a spray pattern of environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor covering the building and property to be defended against wildfire; and wherein, when second said hydraulic pump system completes pumping environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor from said second supply tank and its automated spraying operations, said second hydraulic pump system automatically stops pumping operations, and as water molecules in the environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor evaporate to the environment, thin fire-inhibiting alkali metal salt crystalline coatings form on sprayed property, inhibiting fire ignition and flame spread in the presence of wildfire.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said wildfire defense system trailer is adapted to receive an electronic message over a digital cellular network to automatically activate said first hydraulic pump via a wireless remote power control switch used in said first wildfire defense spraying system.
10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said wildfire defense system trailer receives a radio control signal over a digital cellular communication network, and automatically triggering the spraying of said environmentally-clean water-based liquid fire inhibitor from said first supply tank when said receiving a radio control signal transmitted by a mobile smartphone operating over said digital cellular communication network.
11 . A method of wildfire defense protection of a wood home building in a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region, said method comprising the steps of: (a) at beginning of the construction phase of a wood home building project, installing and commissioning a first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system for operation on a construction job-site using a wildfire defense system trailer to provide a liquid fire inhibitor supply, sprinkler pumping operations, and automated controls and monitoring during the entire construction phase, thereby providing a proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the constructed wood home building and its surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring during construction phase; (b) continuing operation of said first commissioned automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system during the home building construction phase, and decommissioning from operation, and removing from the premises the wildfire defense system trailer, when construction of the wood home building project is completed and the wood home building is ready for occupation; and (c) once the wood home building project is completed and ready for occupation, installing and commissioning a second permanently-installed automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense spraying system, installed within the new wood home building, independent from said first system, to provide a new proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the constructed wood home building and its surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring after the wood home building project has been completed, thereby protecting all wood and combustible surfaces on the wood home building and surrounding property, and preventing fire ignition and flame spread until the wildfire storm passes through the WUI region.

Description

RELATED CASES The present Patent Application is a Continuation-in-Part of co-pending: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/329,979 filed Jun. 6, 2023; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/167,084 filed Feb. 4, 2021; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/497,948 filed Oct. 10, 2021; wherein each said US Patent Application is commonly owned by Mighty Fire Breaker, LLC and incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Field of Invention The present invention is directed towards improvements in science and technology applied in the defense of human and animal life and property, against the ravaging and destructive forces of wildfire. Brief Description of the State of Knowledge in the Art Over the past century, millions of people have developed and settled towns, counties and neighborhoods in regions that today are called the Wildfire Urban Interface (WUI), which are at high risk to wildfires, and this is impacting home owners and property insurance industry. For man to live and survive a sustainable future in the urban-wildfire interface, human society must quickly adapt to survive the destructive effects of wildfires. Conventional Methods of Wildfire Fighting Defense Include: Making firebreaks with bulldozers and shovels, which has not viable in most urbanized communities;Making firebreaks with backfires has proven ineffective in many cases, and often dangerous as wildfires themselves;Dropping PhosChek® AMP-based liquid chemical from 5000 feet heights in urban areas, which is dangerous and not viable or effective in wildfire defense;Thinning forests of dead trees and debris in urban regions, especially near power poles, buildings, and structures. Current methods of wildfire defense and fighting are becoming unsustainable because the financial losses due to wildfire are exceeding what the insurance industry is willing to insure, as the damage caused by wildfire to the environment is typically catastrophic and destruction. For several decades now, wildfire defense methods have proposed proactively spraying homes, buildings and properties with chemical fire retardants—to defend against hot wildfire embers flying in the direction of prevailing winds, in search of combustible fuel. In 2006, US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0113403 A1 (Aamodt of Firebreak Spray Systems LLC) disclosed a fire-retardant distribution system designed for use with any type of structure such as residences, out buildings, barns, commercial buildings, and others. This prior art system is designed to prevent structures from catching fire when a wildfire approaches, and relies upon a spray system that when activated coats the exterior of the structures, decks, and surrounding landscape very rapidly with a liquid, decolorized fire retardant that remains on the surface until washed off. The system is self-contained and relies upon tanks pressurized with inert gas to deliver the fire retardant to spray valves positioned on and around the structures and surrounding areas. In an alternate embodiment, compressed gas-powered pumps deliver fire retardant to desired areas to flank a wildfire and control its direction and behavior. In general, such firebreak spray systems are expense to install and use liquid fire retardants that are less than optimal from performance criteria, as well as from an environmental sustainability perspective. Wildfire defense methods have also proposed the use of hydrogels as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,229,769 and 5,849,210, for the purpose of cooling the source of the fire by retaining water close to the flame. In general, such hydrogels are produced from a water-absorbing polymer and water. The hydrogel binds the water and so stops the water from flowing away from the source of the fire. Because hydrogels can maintain a large amount of water near the fire, hydrogels have a good immediate extinguishing effect. In contrast, the long-term effect of hydrogels is poor. Hydrogels can dry and thereby rapidly lose their effect. The remaining salt-like dried hydrogels have a very low fire-retarding effect. U.S. Pat. No. 8,273,813 (assigned to BASF) also proposes combining water-absorbing polymers with fire-retarding salts to form fire-retarding compositions having a good immediate extinguishing effect and a good long-term effect, but are not ideal for use in automated firebreak spraying systems discussed above. For over a decade, Hartindo's anti-fire (AF) chemical solution AF31 has been used in proactive fire defense applications including wildfire defense. While AF31 solution employs tripotassium citrate dissolved in water with minor amounts of a natural gum added to provide cling, the natural gum tends to clog spray nozzles requiring additional cleaning and maintenance, and adversely impacts many species of plant life including flowing plants, tender perennials and vegetables. Despite some advances being made in the field of wildfire suppression, wildfires have become all too