Abstract:
A damage prevention housing for a roof pipe may include a hollow body having an interior dimensioned to enclose a roof pipe on a roof, the hollow body having an open proximal end suitable for positioning over the roof pipe and a partially closed distal end dimensioned to preclude access by rodents but allow movement of gases therethrough. The hollow body may further include an aperture positioned adjacent to the proximal end for allowing liquids and gases to move through the aperture and a fastener for securing the hollow body in a fixed position relative to the roof pipe and the roof.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/126,337, filed May 2, 2008, and U.S. application Ser. No. 12/387,640, filed on May 4, 2009, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of protective roofing materials, and, more particularly, to damage prevention housings for preventing damage to roofing pipes and related methods. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The vast majority of roofs have one or more pipes extending through the roof to allow gas that has accumulated inside the building to exit the building. 
         [0004]    A common type of roof pipe is the roof vent stack. Roof vent stacks and other roof pipes are vulnerable to attack from a wide range of animals, including squirrels, mice and rats. These animals have frequently been known to attack roof pipes, particularly those such as the roof vent stack that are encased in lead. 
         [0005]    There have been a number of approaches to solving this problem. One known approach to solving this problem involves encasing the roof pipe in poultry netting, commonly known as chicken wire, or some similar type of wire enclosure. Chicken wire provides relatively poor protection for roof pipes because it is difficult to secure the wire in place on the roof pipe without damaging the roof. The chicken wire is also flexible and may be bent in toward the pipe surface by rodents, thus leaving the roof pipe vulnerable to attack through the chicken wire. The chicken wire approach also results in a very unattractive and unprofessional looking wire enclosure surrounding the roof pipe. 
         [0006]    Another approach involves coating the roof pipe with a sealant in liquid or gel form that hardens into position on the roof pipe to prevent access by rodents. This approach may be difficult to implement because of the difficulty in evenly coating the entire exposed roof pipe area. Certain materials used for this coating may not bond well with the lead boot or other roof pipe material. The materials used for this coating may also deteriorate over a relatively short period of time, leaving the roof pipe again vulnerable to attack by rodents. 
         [0007]    Another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,006 to Shue et al (hereafter “Shue” or the “Shue Patent”). The approach in Shue involves a sleeve made of PVC pipe with a separate end piece attached to the top of the sleeve that is fitted over roof vent stack pipes. The end piece is secured to the sleeve and then both the end piece and sleeve are secured in place over the roof vent stack by gluing it in place or securing it to the pipe with a screw. There are a number of problems with the Shue approach. First, the two-piece construction of the Shue device makes it less durable because the glue or other bond holding the device together may degrade over time as Shue acknowledges in mentioning replacement devices in the specification. Second, the Shue device causes water to accumulate on the roof inside the cylinder and around the roof pipe, particularly where the base of the Shue device is glued in place on the roof. Third, the Shue device inhibits the flow of gases from the roof pipe by creating a vacuum effect inside the cylinder as gas exits the cylinder. Fourth, the gas vent holes on top of the Shue device may become blocked and prevent airflow entirely, and the Shue device fails to provide any other mechanism for gas flow if this blockage occurs. 
         [0008]    Despite the existence of such protective devices for roof pipes, further improvements in devices to protect roofing pipes are desirable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a damage prevention housing for protecting a roof pipe having a hollow body with an interior dimensioned to enclose a roof pipe on a roof, the hollow body having an open proximal end suitable for positioning over the roof pipe and a partially closed distal end dimensioned to preclude access by rodents but allow movement of gases therethrough. The hollow body may also include an aperture positioned adjacent to the proximal end and a fastener for securing the hollow body in a fixed position relative to the roof pipe and the roof. The aperture may be substantially circular, may be an arch having an open base on the proximal end of the hollow body with the arch extending from the proximal end toward the distal end. 
         [0010]    The hollow body of the damage prevention housing may be provided in a variety of shapes including a substantially circular shaped enclosure surrounding the roof pipe, a substantially oval shaped enclosure surrounding the roof pipe, a multi-sided polygon shape surrounding the roof pipe or other shapes. 
         [0011]    A damage prevention housing according to the present invention may be attached to a roof pipe or roof in a variety of ways including by fastening the damage prevention housing to a roof pipe using one or more screws positioned substantially perpendicular to the hollow body and the roof pipe and extending through the hollow body to make contact with the roof pipe. 
         [0012]    In another embodiment, damage prevention housings of the present invention may also include a hollow body having an interior dimensioned to enclose a roof pipe on a roof, the hollow body having an open proximal end suitable for positioning over the roof pipe and a partially closed distal end dimensioned to preclude access by rodents but allow movement of gases therethrough. Such a damage prevention housing may also include a fastener for securing the hollow body in a fixed position relative to the roof pipe and the roof, and one or more roof pitch markings close to the proximal end showing where the damage prevention housing may be cut to match the pitch of a roof during installation. 
         [0013]    The roof pitch markings may be provided for a wide range of roof pitches, including, for example, markings for roof pitches of 20 degrees, 22.5 degrees, 27 degrees, 30 degrees and 34 degrees from a horizontal roof position or markings for other degrees of roof pitch. 
         [0014]    Another aspect of the present invention includes a method of installing a damage prevention housing for protecting a roof pipe. The method may include the steps of determining the pitch of a roof having at least one roof pipe, selecting a damage prevention housing dimensioned to enclose the roof pipe where the damage prevention housing has one or more roof pitch markings showing where the damage prevention housing may be cut to match the pitch of the roof, cutting the damage prevention housing along one of the roof pitch markings to match the pitch of the roof, and fastening the damage prevention housing in place over the roof pipe. 
         [0015]    The methods of installing a damage prevention housing for protecting a roof pipe may include repairing damage to a lead casing surrounding a roof pipe before fastening the damage prevention housing in place over the roof pipe. The damage prevention housings of the present invention may also be installed prior to any damage to a roof pipe on an existing roof or may be installed during new construction of a roof with existing roofing materials such as a lead roof vent casing or in conjunction with other materials that replace lead roof vent casings that are intended to work with the damage prevention housing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a damage prevention housing in place on a roof according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a damage prevention housing showing one embodiment of the aperture for allowing air ingress and fluid egress according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a damage prevention housing showing a second embodiment of the aperture for allowing air ingress and fluid egress according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a damage prevention housing before installation showing the roof pitch markings according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of installing a damage prevention housing according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    The present description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown. However, many different embodiments may be used, and thus the description should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments. 
         [0022]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a damage prevention housing  40  for a roof pipe  48  is shown. Certain gases are vented through roof pipes  48  extending through a building&#39;s roof  46 . These roof pipes  48  are often enclosed in a lead casing (not shown) that is known to be attractive to squirrels, mice, rats and other rodents. These rodents are known to chew on the lead casing, causing extensive damage to the roof pipes  48  and leading to a number of problems. For example, rodents chewing through the lead casing will cause leaks to occur as water comes in through the casing and passes through the roof  46  around the roof pipe  48 . A second problem occurs where rodents dislodge portions of the roof pipe  48  or the lead casing and cause these to drop down inside the roof pipe  48  thus causing a blockage inside the roof pipe  48  that may be very difficult to repair. 
         [0023]    The damage prevention housing  40  of the present invention prevents damage to roof pipes  48  by rodents, weather and other potential harm by enclosing the roof pipe  48  with a protective barrier. The damage prevention housing  40  preferably has a vertically positioned hollow body  34  with an open bottom  38  for receiving the roof pipe  48 , a substantially closed top  36  with an opening or openings  42  for allowing air egress, a fastener  44  for attaching the damage prevention housing  40  to the roof pipe  48  and/or roof  46  and an aperture  52  for allowing air ingress and rain or other liquid egress. 
         [0024]    The damage prevention housing  40  may be manufactured in a variety of ways as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The hollow body  34  and top end  36  are preferably manufactured as a single piece using injection molding or other methods of construction allowing for the creation of a single piece. The material used for the hollow body  34  and top  36  are preferably a durable plastic or other material suitable for injection molding. If single piece construction is used for the hollow body  34  and top  36 , this construction method provides a significant durability advantage over prior art devices constructed of two or more pieces with the risk that those pieces may become detached over time. 
         [0025]    The hollow body  34  may be constructed in a variety of shapes including circular, oval, square, rectangular or any of a number of other multi-sided polygon or other shapes, so long as the shape still has an interior space sufficient to substantially enclose the roof pipe  48 . In certain embodiments, the hollow body  34  may also be constructed with a sufficiently large interior diameter or other shape of interior space to reduce the chances of damage to the roof pipe  48  during installation. Such damage could occur, for example, where the damage prevention housing  40  makes contact with the roof pipe  48  during installation thus causing the roof pipe  48  to be bent or torn. 
         [0026]    The movement of air or other gases within the hollow body  34  may also be considered when determining the interior diameter or other interior shape of the hollow body  34 . Where additional air flow is desirable, the hollow body  34  may be constructed with a larger interior space to facilitate the flow of air or other gases within the damage prevention housing and the roof pipe  48 . For example, an inch to two or three inches of clearance between the roof pipe  48  and the interior wall of the hollow body  34  may be provided to enhance air flow within the damage prevention housing  40 . 
         [0027]    In the preferred embodiment, the fastener  44  is two screws or bolts positioned on opposite sides of the hollow body  34 . The body  34  preferably has threaded openings  42  allowing the screws or other fastener  44  to pass through the hollow body  34  and be tightened until the screws make contact with the roof pipe  48  itself or a lead casing surrounding the roof pipe  48 . 
         [0028]    The fastener  44  may also be a single screw passing through the hollow body  34  and making contact with the roof pipe  48  or lead casing. Where a single screw or bolt used, it is preferably tightened until the side of the roof pipe  48  opposite the fastener  44  makes contact with the inside wall of the hollow body  34 . The fastener  44  may also be bolts, nails, glues, adhesives or other fastening implementations for attaching the damage prevention housing  40  to the roof pipe  48  or directly to the roof  46  itself. 
         [0029]    The damage prevention housing  40  of the present invention preferably includes an opening or openings  42  on the top end  36  of the damage prevention housing  40  for allowing gases to move from the roof pipe  48  through the opening or openings  42  to the exterior of the building and from the opening or openings  42  into the roof pipe  48 . The opening or openings  42  may be provided in a variety of forms including a relatively narrow slit or slits  42  as shown in  FIG. 1 , one or more holes  42 ′ as shown in  FIG. 3 , a wire screen (not shown), or in a variety of other forms as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
         [0030]    The damage prevention housing  40  of the present invention also preferably includes an aperture  52  located on or close to the bottom  38  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) of the damage prevention housing  40  for allowing water and other liquids to escape from the damage prevention housing  40  and allowing gas to move into and out of the damage prevention housing  40 . 
         [0031]    The aperture  52  provides a significant advantage in preventing water from accumulating inside the damage prevention housing  40  and around the roof pipe  48 . If water is allowed to collect inside the damage prevention housing  40  after rain or other events causing water accumulation, there is a significantly increased risk of damage to the roof  46  and potential for water leakage into the structure of the building. 
         [0032]    The aperture  52  also advantageously allows air or other gases to move into and out of the damage prevention housing  40  thus facilitating the movement of gases through the roof pipe  48 . Illustrative examples of gas flow into and out of the damage prevention housing are shown by reference number  50  for gas moving between the roof pipe  48  and the top end  36  and by reference number  51  for gas moving between the aperture  52  and the top end  36 . 
         [0033]    The flow of gases provided by the aperture  52  is advantageous for a number of reasons. For example, if the opening or openings  42  for allowing gas to escape from the top  36  of the damage prevention housing  40  become blocked by ice, organic matter such as leaves or other blockage, the aperture  52  provides a secondary avenue for gases to move into and out of the damage prevention housing  40 . If the opening or openings  42  were blocked and no secondary avenue for gas flow  50  were provided, the interruption in gas flow could cause various problems within the building. One example of this type of problem occurs where a sewage gas pipe blockage creates a vacuum effect in the sewer system for sewage roof pipes  48  that would prevent effective movement of sewage material out of the building. 
         [0034]    The aperture  52  also enhances the flow of gases  50  into and out of the damage prevention housing  40  through a Venturi Effect, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Where the aperture  52  is not present, a vacuum effect may be created within the interior of the hollow body  34  around the roof pipe  48  that inhibits the flow of gases into and out of the damage prevention housing  40  and the roof pipe  48 . 
         [0035]    The aperture  52  may be provided in a number of forms such as a circular hole aperture  52  extending through the body portion  34  to allow gas to move into and out of the damage prevention housing  40 . In other embodiments, the aperture  52  may be an arch  52 ′ with its base at the bottom  38  of the body portion  34  extending toward the top end  36  of the damage prevention housing  40 . The arch embodiment  52 ′ of the aperture  52  may be preferable in some embodiments because it is more amenable to injection molding and may also allow more effective liquid flow out from the interior of the damage prevention housing  40 . 
         [0036]    The opening or openings  42 , the aperture  52  and any other areas providing access to the interior of the damage prevention housing  40  are preferably small enough to prevent rodents such as squirrels, rats and mice from gaining access to the interior of the damage prevention housing  40  through those areas. 
         [0037]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , some embodiments of the damage prevention housing  40  may also include roof pitch markings  60  (shown generally by reference number  60 ) for cutting the bottom end  38  of the damage prevention housing  40  to match various roof pitches  60 . As will be understood by those skilled in the art, roof pitch refers to the slope or angle of the roof  46  with respect to the ground below the building. In common usage, a roof  46  will only be considered “pitched” if it has a slope greater than 15 degrees. As used herein, pitch refers to all angles of roof  46  inclinations, including a zero degree pitch roof  46 , which is a flat roof  46 , to a roof  46  approaching 90 degree pitch. 
         [0038]    The roof pitch markings  60  may be included to mark roof pitches in the typical range of 20 to 30 degree pitch, including markings for standard roof pitches such as 20 degree, 22.5 degree, 27 degree, 30 degree and 34 degree. The plurality of possible roof pitch markings are indicated in references numbers  60 ( 1 ) to  60 (N) with “N” representing the last roof pitch marking shown on the damage prevention housing  40 . Roof pitch may also be indicated in roof pitch markings  60  in inches of incline per foot such as, for example, 4-12, 5-12, 6-12, 7-12, 8-12 and so on. The degree of pitch may be indicated with markings applied directly to the damage prevention housing  40  or in documentation provided with the damage prevention housing  40 . 
         [0039]    It is preferable that the roof pitch markings  60  be provided such that the dimensions of the aperture  52  are not altered by cutting along the roof pitch markings  60 . This could be accomplished, for example, by placing the roof pitch markings  60 ( 1 )-(N) below the aperture  52  or at the bottom of the aperture  52  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0040]    Methods of installing damage prevention housings  40  are also provided as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The method commences at the start (Block  70 ), after which the user installing the damage prevention housing  40  determines the pitch of a roof having at least one roof pipe  48  in need of protective covering (Block  72 ). After the roof pitch is determined, a damage prevention housing  40  having at least one roof pitch mark is provided (Block  74 ) and the damage prevention housing  40  is cut along the appropriate roof pitch mark to match the pitch of the roof (Block  78 ). After the damage prevention housing  40  is cut to the appropriate roof pitch, the damage prevention housing  40  is fastened in place over the roof pipe  48  to prevent damage to the roof pipe  48  (Block  78 ). The method then terminates (Block  80 ). 
         [0041]    In many instances, a damage prevention housing  40  may be installed on roofs  46  after the roof pipes  48  or protective lead casing have already been damaged. The damage prevention housing  40  may also be installed during new construction. 
         [0042]    As mentioned above, roof pipes  48  are often covered with a protective lead casing that provides resistance to weather damage. Where the damage prevention housing  40  of the present invention is used, a variety of other materials may be used in place of the lead casing because the damage prevention housing  40  of the present invention itself provides substantial protection from weather damage. Such materials to replace lead casings could include urethane, neoprene or a variety of other non-lead protective materials that would not be suitable for protecting roof pipes  48  in the absence of a damage prevention housing  40 . Many of these materials have flexibility that is superior to the flexibility of lead and may, in many instances, be far less expensive than lead. 
         [0043]    In some instances, the material replacing the lead casing may be softer or otherwise more vulnerable to puncture by the screws or bolts or other fasteners  44  being used to fasten the damage prevention housing  40  to the roof pipe  48 . In such instances, it may be preferable to use a screw or other fastener  44  with a more blunt or flattened termination on the end making contact with the protective material covering the roof pipe  48  itself to reduce the chances of puncture or other damage. 
         [0044]    Many modifications and other embodiments will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that various modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.