ROOF RIDGE VENT WITH IMPROVED TROUGH
A ridge vent for covering an open ridge of a roof comprises an elongated panel having two opposed lateral edges; a pair of elongated sidewalls, each extending downward from one of the lateral edges; a pair of elongated floor portions, each extending outward from one of the sidewalls; a pair of elongated baffles, each extending upward from one of the floor portions, each baffle combining with one of the sidewalls and one of the floor portions to form an elongated trough along one side of the panel; and a filtering structure over each trough between the sidewall and the baffle to prevent particles and debris from collecting in the trough while allowing free flow of air.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a ventilation system for covering an opening along the ridge of a roof. More specifically, this invention relates to a roof ridge vent assembly including vent panels placed end-to-end over the ridge of a roof to allow for ventilation of air through the ridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
Roof ridge ventilators are commonly installed over an opening along the length of a building at the ridge of the roof in order to reduce the heat that builds up in the space below the roof or in the attic. Ridge ventilators allow naturally rising hot air to escape the attic through an elongated ridgeline opening within the roof decking. The elongated ridgeline opening is typically formed by making two elongated cuts in the roof deck, each cut substantially parallel to the ridge, the cuts being on opposite sides of the ridge. Generally, ventilation helps to prevent degradation of the roof structure, and reduces the accumulation of condensation in the insulating material covering the floor of the attic. Additionally, ridge ventilators increase the efficiency of cooling the building covered by the roof, and accordingly reduce the cooling costs and other problems associated with such heat. In particular, ridge ventilators can assist in the expulsion of hot gases that are produced in living areas of the building (e.g., from dishwashers, heaters and other household appliances), rise and permeate through the ceiling and insulation material into the attic space. In addition, ridge vent systems are installed to meet net free vent area (NFVA) requirements included in building codes. Ridge vent systems also desirably prevent rain, snow, insects, vermin and other debris from entering through the opening along the ridge, while providing for the free flow of air to and from the interior of the building.
Early ridge vents included corrugated covers attached to the roof over the ridge opening, with traditional ridge cap shingling secured over the covers. However, this construction can be costly and not easily adaptable to accommodate various roof pitches. Moreover, the earlier ridge vents typically were not durable and did not allow adequate air flow. The most common recent designs include molded plastic vent sections attached to the roof end-to-end to span the entire opening along the ridge. The vent sections are typically plastic center panels flanked along either edge with a row of ventilation slots. The plastic center panels are typically laterally flexible to conform to the apex of particular roofs with various pitches. The plastic center panel is also typically held a short distance above the roof by support structures that define a space between the panels and the roof. After the ridge vents are installed, a ridge cap shingling is fixed over the top surface of the ridge vent sections, using well-known shingles such as asphalt composition shingles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one embodiment, a ridge vent covers an open ridge of a roof. The ridge vent includes an elongated panel having two opposed lateral edges. The ridge vent also includes a pair of elongated sidewalls, each extending downward from one of the lateral edges. The ridge vent also includes a pair of elongated floor portions, each extending outward from one of the sidewalls. The ridge vent also includes a pair of elongated baffles, each extending upward from one of the floor portions, each baffle combining with one of the sidewalls and one of the floor portions to form an elongated trough along one side of the panel. The ridge vent also includes a filtering structure over each trough between the sidewall and the baffle to prevent particles and debris from collecting in the trough while allowing free flow of air.
According to another embodiment, a ridge ventilation system includes a plurality of elongated ridge vent sections configured to be arranged end-to-end over an open ridge of a roof. Each of the ridge vent sections has a laterally flexible panel having two opposed lateral edges and two opposed ends. Each of the ridge vent sections also has a pair of elongated sidewalls each extending downwardly from one of the lateral edges. Each of the ridge vent sections also has a pair of elongated floor portions each extending outwardly from one of the sidewalls. Each of the ridge vent sections also has a pair of elongated baffles each extending upwardly from one of the floor portions, each baffle combining with one of the sidewalls and one of the floor portions to form an elongated trough along one side of the panel. Each of the ridge vent sections also has a railed structure between the sidewall and the baffle over each trough to prevent particles and debris from collecting in the trough while allowing free flow of air.
For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described above and as further described below. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.
While modern ridge vent systems are an improvement over early ridge vents, there are still many shortcomings inherent in their designs. One problem of the prior art is that the drain trough region typically located between the sidewalls and wind baffles at the lateral edges of the ridge vent can accumulate leaves, twigs, gravel, airborne litter, and other natural and manmade debris. Although the placement of drain openings (also known as “weep holes”) at the trough or lower end of the wind baffles can effectively drain water and other small particles from the trough, the size of the weep holes is typically limited. Weep holes that are too large may undercut the very purpose of the baffles to prevent the entry of wind-driven rain and to provide wind resistance to create a low pressure zone in the troughs (which provides outward ventilation). Accordingly, the weep holes of modern ridge vents are typically too small to provide for the elimination of larger particles. Thus, the trough areas can result in the accumulation of debris that causes clogging and can reduce the amount of ventilation and drainage of water.
Thus, there is a need for an improved ridge vent system that addresses and solves the problems associated with current systems. It is desirable for such an improved system to prevent clogging of the trough regions at the lateral edges of the ridge vent section by accumulation of debris and other particles, and to further improve the draining of water, snow and other precipitation.
Ridge vent 10 can vary in thickness and width as desired, but preferably, the central panel portion 12 is sufficiently thin and laterally flexible across its width in order to bend over the apex of the ridge 28. In some embodiments the flexible central portion may be slightly thinner in thickness than the rest of vent section to allow lateral flexing of the central portion over the apex of a roof to accommodate various roof pitches. In other embodiments, the ridge vent 10 can be integrally scored (not illustrated) to assist in further flexing, in a single line or several lines running longitudinally along the entire length of the center panel portion 12 or any portion thereof.
Ridge vent 10 may be formed from a single sheet of flexible plastic or the like to a predetermined length and width. According to one embodiment, each ridge vent 10 is approximately 4 feet in length along lateral edges 14 and 16, and approximately one to one and a half feet in width along end portions 18 and 20. Although ridge vent 10 may be of any suitable length and width, the above dimensions are preferred in order to accommodate a variety of building sizes and for convenience of use, assembly and manufacture.
Ridge vent 10 is preferably injection-molded as a single piece of plastic from polymeric materials well known in the art, including but not limited to, for example, high-density linear polymers such as polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and copolymers thereof. Recycled polymeric materials can also be used. Ridge vent 10 may also be formed by any of the above along with U.V. inhibitors to resist degradation from ultraviolet radiation exposure. A suitable material for the U.V. inhibitor would be carbon black or a U.V. stabilizer as readily available to those skilled in the art. The ridge vent 10 material is chosen based on its cost, ease of manufacture and effective resistance to warping and wear due to weather.
Building roof 30 may comprise a plurality of cross-beams or rafters 32 joined to form the structural support for building roof 30, with plywood decking panels 34 laid over in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The plurality of decking panels 34 is typically referred to as a roof deck (also referred to herein by reference numeral 34). Skilled artisans will recognize that a roof deck can be formed of materials other than wood, such as steel. While the illustrated embodiment shows a roof deck comprising two layers of panels 34, it will be understood that the roof deck can alternatively be formed with only one layer of panels 34, or with more than two such layers. The decking panels 34 are covered with a layer of cover elements, such as shingles, or a composition roofing material 36 nailed to decking panels 34 using well-known roofing nails (not shown). The decking panels 34 and the overlying shingles or composition roofing material 36 do not completely cover the roof 30, except for at the very ends of the ridge. Between the ends, an elongated ridgeline opening is cut out of the roof deck 34.
According to other embodiments, the ridge vent 10 may be installed over roofs without a deck or decking panels. As known in the art, in place of a deck such a roof can include a row of parallel rafters arranged perpendicular to the ridge of the roof, and a row of counter battens overlying and perpendicular to the rafters. Shingles, tiles or slates as known in the art can then be secured over the battens to form the exterior surface of the roof. The ridge vent 10 may be installed over the uppermost shingles at the peak of the roof.
Nail lines 40 and 42 and a plurality of nail holes 38 running parallel to edges 14 and 16 are formed along a topside 22 of the ridge vent 10 for facilitating installation. A plurality of nails (not shown) are respectively inserted through nail holes 38 molded into the central panel 12 in intervals along the longitudinal length of ridge vent 10 for securing the vent 10 to the roof. The nails are then pounded into the underlying decking panels 34 using a hammer or the like to secure each ridge vent 10 to the roof 30. A plurality of ridge cap or ‘capping’ shingles 44 can then be placed over the ridge vent 10 as shown in
When attached to a roof, the central panel 12 is held a predetermined distance above the roof by end caps that extend from the underside 24 of the panel 12 at opposite ends 18 and 20 of ridge vent 10. Referring to
As shown in
Adjacent to the bases of the sidewalls 48 and 50 respectively are floor portions 55 and 57 that form floors of drain portions or “troughs” 56 and 58 on opposite sides of central panel 12 and which run along the entire length of ridge vent 10. As shown in
The water collected in the troughs 56, 58 is allowed to drain away through drain openings 60, or weep holes, as shown in
As shown in the bottom and top views of
According to an embodiment, barriers to prevent water from entering through drain openings 60 can be provided by closing off a number of vent slots 54. As shown in
Wind baffles 62 and 64 have been found to generate relatively low pressure regions over the vent openings 54 inside troughs 56, 58, when even gentle breezes blow across a roof. As the external wind hits the vertical walls of wind baffles 62 and 64, it is deflected upward towards the peak of the roof and the ‘Bernoulli effect’ is thereby induced. That is, as the wind passes over the vent openings 54, areas of lower pressure are created in the troughs and the lower pressure regions draw air out from the attic through the vent openings 54. Wind baffles 62 and 64 thus significantly enhance the air flow through the open ridge 28 of the roof 30 to improve ventilation of the attic.
As shown in
As shown in the cross sectional view of
It is also noted that an optional screen or filter may be positioned below the underside 24 of ridge vent 10, such as along the inner surfaces of sidewalls 48, 50, to provide additional protection against snow, rain, insects, vermin and the like from entering the building. Although the filter can be made of many materials, it is preferably porous enough to enable sufficient air to flow from the attic to the outside ambient. The screen or filter material may be a wire mesh, fiberglass material, foam, sponge, and the like. The screen or filter may also comprise several different portions adhesively fixed to the ridge vent 10 at one or more locations along the underside 24 of ridge vent 10 to form a single combined unit. Alternatively, the screen or filter can be provided separately and secured between the central panel portion 12 of the ridge vent 10 and the roof 30 during installation by being simultaneously nailed to the decking panels 34.
The ridge vent according to embodiments of the invention includes a filtering structure over the troughs (not shown in
According to an exemplary embodiment, a railed configuration over the troughs is described in further detail below. This configuration can include a railed surface formed by a plurality of grates that extend from the railed surface to an upper surface of the floor portion of troughs 56, 58. The railed surface may further be formed by a plurality of strips, or “grate strips” hereinafter, which do not extend from the railed surface to an upper surface of the floor portion of troughs 56, 58 but provide an adequate filtering surface or screen over the troughs. Referring to the top plan view of
As shown in the perspective view of
Grates 80 may also be sized and arranged in a variety of ways. According to an exemplary embodiment, each grate 80 has approximately the same width as each grate strip 88 and vent strip 52, and has approximately the same height as the wind baffle 62, as shown in
According to embodiments, the grates 82 can have a length in the range of about 1 inch to 3½ inches from the baffle to a lateral position on the underside of the panel 12. For example, in the embodiment of
The embodiments described above thus improve the ventilation and draining capabilities of the ridge vents by providing a filter, screen or railed structure over the trough regions to prevent the accumulation of particles and debris that can clog the ventilation openings in the vent sidewalls and the drain openings in the baffles. At the same time, embodiments of the invention can provide additional structural support to the ridge vent by the use of grates that form a portion of the railed structure while simultaneously extending to the underside of the panel. Thus, ridge vents according to embodiments of the invention provide a superior combination of protection against clogging of the drain and structural integrity. The grates also prevent debris from moving longitudinally through the troughs, which further minimizes clogging of the troughs.
Whereas particular embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated above, it is not to be so limited since it can be appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and changes may be made within the full intended scope of the invention and without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.
Claims
1. A ridge vent for covering an open ridge of a roof, comprising:
- an elongated panel having two opposed lateral edges;
- a pair of elongated sidewalls, each extending downward from one of the lateral edges;
- a pair of elongated floor portions, each extending outward from one of the sidewalls;
- a pair of elongated baffles, each extending upward from one of the floor portions, each baffle combining with one of the sidewalls and one of the floor portions to form an elongated trough along one side of the panel; and
- a filtering structure over each trough between the sidewall and the baffle to prevent particles and debris from collecting in the trough while allowing free flow of air.
2. The ridge vent of claim 1, further comprising a pair of elongated flanges, each extending outwardly from an upper edge of one of the baffles.
3. The ridge vent of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of drain openings at a lower end of each baffle.
4. The ridge vent of claim 1, wherein each sidewall includes a row of ventilation openings.
5. The ridge vent of claim 4, wherein the filtering structure comprises a row of slots each extending from the sidewall to the baffle.
6. The ridge vent of claim 1, wherein the filtering structure comprises a plurality of grates extending downward to an upper surface of the floor portion of the trough.
7. The ridge vent of claim 6, wherein the grates are spaced in substantially equal intervals along a length of the trough.
8. The ridge vent of claim 1, wherein the filtering structure over each trough comprises a plurality of strips that extend across the trough without contacting an upper surface of the floor portion of the trough.
9. The ridge vent of claim 8, wherein the filtering structure over each trough further comprises a plurality of grates extending downward to an upper surface of the floor portion of the trough, and each grate is flanked by at least one strip on each side.
10. The ridge vent of claim 6, wherein each grate has a height extending from the floor portion to an uppermost edge of the baffle.
11. The ridge vent of claim 6, wherein the plurality of grates comprises:
- a first group of grates having a length from the baffle to a first lateral position on an underside of the panel, the first lateral position having a distance from a longitudinal centerline of the panel; and
- a second group of grates having a length from the baffle to a second lateral position on the underside of the panel, the second lateral position having a different distance from the longitudinal centerline than the first lateral position.
12. The ridge vent of claim 1, wherein the filtering structure comprises a screen extending between the sidewall and the baffle, over the floor portion.
13. A ridge ventilation system comprising:
- a plurality of elongated ridge vent sections configured to be arranged end-to-end over an open ridge of a roof, each of said ridge vent sections having: a laterally flexible panel having two opposed lateral edges and two opposed ends; a pair of elongated sidewalls each extending downwardly from one of the lateral edges; a pair of elongated floor portions each extending outwardly from one of the sidewalls; a pair of elongated baffles each extending upwardly from one of the floor portions, each baffle combining with one of the sidewalls and one of the floor portions to form an elongated trough along one side of the panel; and a railed structure between the sidewall and the baffle over each trough to prevent particles and debris from collecting in the trough while allowing free flow of air.
14. The ridge ventilation system of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the railed structure is formed by a plurality of grates extending to an upper surface of the floor portion of the trough.
15. The ridge ventilation system of claim 14, wherein at least another portion of the railed surface is formed by a plurality of strips that extend across the trough but do not extend to an upper surface of the floor portion of the trough.
16. The ridge ventilation system of claim 15, wherein each strip has a height in the range of about 1/16 inch to about ½ inch.
17. The ridge ventilation system of claim 14, wherein the grates have a length in the range of about 1 inch to 3½ inches from the baffle to a lateral position on an underside of the panel.
18. The ridge ventilation system of claim 14, further comprising:
- a first group of grates having a length from the baffle to a first lateral position on an underside of the panel, the first lateral position having a distance from a longitudinal centerline of the panel;
- a second group of grates having a length from the baffle to a second lateral position on the underside of the panel, the second lateral position having a different distance from the longitudinal centerline than the first lateral position; and
- a third group of grates having a length from the baffle to a third lateral position on the underside of the panel, the third lateral position having a different distance from the longitudinal centerline than the first and second lateral positions.
19. The ridge ventilation system of claim 13, wherein the railed structure comprises strips extending between the sidewall and the baffle, over the floor portion.
20. The ridge ventilation system of claim 13, wherein the railed structure comprises strips extending between one end of a trough corresponding with an end of the panel and another end of the trough corresponding with the opposed end of the panel, over the floor portion.
Type: Application
Filed: May 18, 2007
Publication Date: Nov 20, 2008
Inventors: Jacob Carlson (Rocklin, CA), Gary H. Griswold (Safety Harbor, FL), Gregory S. Daniels (Santa Rosa, CA), David S. Mutter (Santa Rosa, CA)
Application Number: 11/750,969