Patent Publication Number: US-6662510-B2

Title: Method of installing a roof ventilation strip and installation system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/785,077, filed Feb. 16, 2001, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/182,959, filed Feb. 16, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     It is known to ventilate the roof structure of a building utilizing a ridge vent. Such vents are created by an open slot running along the roof ridge, which causes ventilation out of the attic by convection air flow and by suction from wind blowing across the roof. A strip of air permeable material is installed over the ridge slot which prevents the ingress of moisture and debris, but allows air flow for ventilation. A ridge cap is then installed over the air permeable strip. 
     For roofs having contoured shapes, such as roofs having an outer surface formed by a roofing panel having a plurality of stiffening ribs and standing seams, it is known to use a ventilation strip having a surface which includes a plurality of recesses shaped to match the ribs or standing seams of the roof panel. The strip has an air-permeable portion in order to allow airflow. A ridge cap is then installed over the air-permeable strip. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,953, which was invented by the present inventor. 
     A problem has been identified, however, which arises during the installation of a ridge cap over the ventilation strips. The problem is based upon crushing of the air permeable strip in the fastener connection area and/or dimpling or pull through of the fastener due to overdriving. The problem does not exist for some styles of roofs in which fasteners can be installed on or near stiffening ribs. However, when fastening occurs away from a stiffening rib, through the ridge cap, the ventilation strip and into the decking, the ventilation strip can be locally crushed during fastener installation, resulting in an uneven or damaged ridge cap. This problem is further evidenced in roof vent material having greater thicknesses, such as two or more inches, which is starting to see use in profiled ridge vent applications for metal and/or composition roofs. This can lead to a further problem of creating an entry point for moisture through the ridge cap and into the sheathing and internal roof support structure. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is generally directed to a system for installing a ridge vent on a contoured roof in which a strip having an air-permeable portion is provided with a surface shape to match the projections of the contoured roof surface. Stand-off clips are provided which can be placed over the contoured, air-permeable strip at fastener locations which are located on flat portions of the roof panels. 
     In another aspect of the invention, a ridge vent system utilizing contoured air-permeable strips is provided. Stand-off clips are used at fastener locations on flat portions of the roofing panels. A sealing material is placed at fastener locations that penetrate the roofing panels to prevent the ingress of moisture beneath the panels. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S) 
     The foregoing Summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are currently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a roof ridge showing the installation of a roof ridge vent with a contoured air-permeable and resilient strip and stand-off clips in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the roof ridge shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the air-permeable and resilient strip on the contoured roof panels with the stand-off clip positioned at a fastener location. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the air-permeable and resilient strip on alternate roof panels with the stand-off clips being utilized at each of fastener location. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second type of stand-off clip shown during installation of a roof cap on an air-permeable and resilient strip on a roof panel with standing seams. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the roof panel of FIG. 7 showing the stand-off clip in the installed position with the attached roof cap. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the second type of stand-off clip in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second alternate embodiment of the second type of stand-off clip in accordance with the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not considered limiting. The words “right,” “left,” “lower,” and “upper” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. This terminology includes the words specifically noted above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. Additionally, the terms “a” and “one” are defined as including one or more of any referenced item unless specifically noted. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a roof venting system  10  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The roof venting system  10  is described in relation to a sloped roof  12  having a decking  14  which is covered by an outer, weatherproof sheet  16 , preferably formed by a plurality of contoured roof panels  18 . The contoured roof panels  18  may be made of metal, fiber glass or any other suitable material and preferably include a plurality projections, such as stiffening ribs  28 , with the ribs located at the edges of the contoured roof panels  18  being used to form a standing seam  40  between adjacent panels. 
     The upper row of decking  14  terminates approximately {fraction (3/4 )} to 1 inch short of the crest of the roof ridge thereby defining a vent slot  26 . The vent slot  26  may also be created during construction of the roof or may be retro-fitted using a circular saw to cut a slot in the decking  14 . 
     A strip  30 , having an air permeable portion to allow ventilation, is preferably shaped on its lower surface  44  to match the contours of the roof panes  18 . Preferably, one strip  30  is provided on either side of the vent slot  26 . The ridge cap  24  is secured to the decking  14  over the strips  30  using a series of fasteners  36 . As shown in FIG. 2, preferably the screw fasteners  36  are located at a standing seam  40  or at a stiffening rib  28 , if possible. However, fasteners  36  are often required at locations along the contoured roof panels  18  at the spacing of 18-24 inches in order to ensure that the ridge cap  24  is securely held in position. At these intermediate, non-rib locations which fall in the flat field area of the contoured roof panels  18 , it is possible to over-drive the screw fasteners  36 , thereby bending the ridge cap  24  and over compressing the strip  30 . In the preferred embodiment, the fasteners are screws, however, those skilled in the art will recognize other suitable fasteners, such as nails, can be used for the application. 
     As shown in detail in FIGS. 1 through 4, preferably a stand-off clip  52  is provided at these locations in order to prevent the screw fasteners  36  from over compressing the strip  30 . Each stand-off clip  52  is preferably U shaped and is dimensioned to fit over the strip  30 . The legs  54  of the stand-off clip  52  can be provided over-sized and trimmed to the proper size at installation. Alternatively, different size stand-off clips  52  can be provided to match the different thicknesses of the strip  30  which may be utilized. In the preferred embodiment, the stand-off clip  52  is made of galvanized metal. However, those skilled in the art will recognize from the present disclosure that other suitable materials could be used to make the stand-off clip  52 . In a preferred embodiment, the stand-off clip  52  is approximately 3 in. wide and the legs are approximately 2 in. long such that they can be trimmed to size at installation. 
     Because the stand-off clips  52  or typically utilized in the flat field area of the contoured roof panels  18 , preferably a sealing material  56  is provided at each stand-off clip location. The sealing material  56  may be a strip of butyl rubber, having an adhesive located on one side, or any other suitable sealing material compatible with the particular contoured roof panels  18 . The sealing material  56  may be provided in pre-cut pieces or partially perforated strips which can be separated from a sheet of release paper, and placed in position under the strip  30  at each fastener location which does not correspond to a sufficiently large stiffening rib  20  to prevent over-driving of the fastener  36 . 
     While the strip  30  must have at least a portion that is air-permeable to allow the passage of air to ventilate the roof, preferably the entire strip  30  is an air-permeable material  32 . Although other air-permeable-materials could be used, the preferred air permeable material  32  is a strip of non-woven synthetic fiber matting, as described in the inventor&#39;s prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,579, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth. 
     While the stand-off clips  52  are only located in the areas on the contoured roof panels  18  which do not include a large stiffening rib  28  or standing seam  40 , as shown in the alternate embodiment of the roofing system in FIGS. 5 and 6, certain types of roof panels  18  include ribs  28  and standing seams  40  which are too small to reliably be penetrated with the fastener  36 . In such installations, the stand-off clips  52  are located in the flat area of the roofing panel  18  adjacent to the ribs  20  or standing seams  40  at the desired spacing required for holding the ridge cap  24  in place. Preferably, the sealing material  56  is also provided at these locations in order to prevent moisture ingress at the positions where the screw fastener  36  penetrates the contoured roof panel  18 . 
     The strip  30  completely fills the space between the contoured roof panel  18  and the ridge cap  24 , with the ridge cap  24  engaging the planer upper surfaces  46  of the strip  30 . The lower surface  44  of the strip  30  matches the contour of the roof panels  18 . Those skilled in the art will recognize from the present disclosure that different contours in the strip  30  will be required and that the thickness of the strip  30  may vary, depending upon the height of the ribs  20  and standing seams  40 . 
     In order to install the ridge vent in accordance with the present invention, after the contoured roof panels  18  have been installed on the decking  14 , the strips  30  are placed along each side of the open slot  26  running along the ridge. The stand off clips  52  are placed at the desired spacing over the strip  30  at the fastener locations for the ridge cap  24  which do not fall on standing seams  40  or stiffening ribs  28  which can receive a fastener  36  for holding the ridge cap  24  in position. Preferably, the sealing material  56  is placed on the surface of the contoured roof panel  18  under each stand-off clip  52 . The ridge cap pieces  34  are then placed in position over the stand-off clips  52  and the strips  30 . The fasteners  36  are then driven through the ridge cap  24 , the stand off clips  52 , the strip  30 , the contoured roof panels  18  and into the decking  14  at the desired locations along the ridge cap  24  to hold the ridge cap  24  in position. The fasteners  36  may also be driven through the ridge cap  24 , the strip  30  and standing seams  40  or ribs  28  of sufficient size. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, a second type of stand-off clip  152  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The second type of stand-off clip  152  is installed over the air permeable and resilient strip  130  located along the slot  126  of a roof peak in a similar manner to the stand-off clip  52  in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention. The stand-off clip  152  is generally hat-shaped, and includes two legs  154  and bottom flanges  156  though which attachments screws  162  are preferably installed. Preferably, the bottom flanges  156  have pre-drilled holes for the attachment screws  162 . Alternatively, self-drilling screws could be utilized. The screws  162  preferably extend through the roof panel  118  and into the decking  114 . The stand-off clips  152  are preferably located on the flat part of the contoured roof panel  118  and may be adjacent to the sanding seam sections. 
     In order to install the roof cap  124  over the air permeable and resilient strip  130 , the stand-off clips  152  are first installed. The roof cap  124  is then placed in position and screws  136  are installed through the roof cap  124  and into the upper surface of the stand-off clips  152 . This has the advantage of using shorter length screws, especially when the roof vent material  130  is thick. 
     As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, preferably a sealing material  158  is located under the bottom flanges  156  where the fasteners  162  penetrate the contoured roof panel  118  and into the decking  114 . While the installation is illustrated in the area of a rafter  122 , those skilled in the art will recognize that this can be at any location along the decking  114 . The sealing material  158  may be pre-installed on the bottom flanges  156  and seals around the opening in the roof panel to prevent the ingress of moisture. It is not necessary to seal around the hole  136 . However, a sealing material may also be provided on the upper surface of the stand-off clip  152 , if desired. Different height of stand-off clips  152  may be provided for use with various different thickness of roof vent material  130 . 
     Alternatively, the screws  162  can be omitted, and screws  136  may be utilized which are long enough to be driven through the roof cap  124 , the stand-off clips  152 , the vent material  130 , and into the roof panel  118  and decking  114 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 9, and alternate embodiment of the second type of stand-off clip  172  is shown. The alternate embodiment provides a Z-shaped clip  172  which is installed in a similar manner to the stand-off clip  152 . Preferably, the bottom flange of the Z is installed on the down-slope side of the air-permeable and resilient strip  130  utilizing a threaded fastener. However, it may also be installed on the up-slope side, which has the advantage of placing the fastener under the ridge cap. The fastener is preferably installed in a pre-formed hole  174  in the bottom flange. A sealing material  158  is preferably also located on the bottom side of the bottom flange for sealing around the fastener upon installation. The Z-shaped stand-off clip  172  may be provided with various heights for use with particular heights of air-permeable and resilient strips  130 , depending upon the particular roofing application. The upper surface of the Z is preferably large enough to allow an installer to install fasteners  136  through the roof cap  124  and into the upper surface of the Z without difficulty. Preferably, the width of the Z is 1.5 inches or greater. However, other widths could be used. 
     Referring now to FIG. 10, a second alternate embodiment of the second type of stand-off clip is shown. The stand-off clip  182  is generally U-shaped and includes a bottom flange for attaching to the roof. Preferably, the U-shaped stand-off clip  182  is installed on the down-slope side of the air permeable and resilient strip  130 . A pre-drilled hole  184  is preferably provided in the bottom flange for attachment of a screw through the contoured roof panel  118  and into the decking  114 . The sealing material  158  is preferably located on the bottom side of the bottom flange for sealing around the screw during installation. While the installation may be made prior to placement of the air-permeable and resilient strip  130 , preferably a clearance hole  186  is provided in the generally upwardly extending portion of the U-shaped stand-off clip  182  in order to allow a screw to be installed downwardly and inwardly through the clearance hole  186  in the generally vertically extending portion of the U-shaped stand-off clip  182 . This can be installed prior to placement of the air-permeable and resilient strip  130  or may be installed through the air-permeable and resilient strip  130 . The upper flange provides a suitable target area for installing the fastener  136  through the cap  124  for anchoring the cap  124  to the stand-off clip  182 . 
     The stand-off clips may be made of various materials, such as stainless steel or galvanized metal and may be bent-up into the desired shape. Alternatively, the stand-off clips may be extruded or cast from a desired material, such as stainless steel or steel which can then be galvanized, or may be extruded of aluminum or any other suitable material. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, which should be considered as merely exemplary. For example, the stand-off clips can be used in conjunction with other types of roofs, such as composition roofs, as well as with other types of air-permeable strips  30  in order to prevent over-driving of the fasteners through the ridge vent. Further modifications and extensions of the present invention may be developed, and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.