Protective roof cover
A protective roof cover which protects roof tiles and shingles from being torn from a roof during severe weather, such as a hurricane. The roof cover is aesthetically pleasing, durable, waterproof, and within code guidelines. The roof cover can be a variety of colors. The roof cover may be composed of a plurality of sheets of high strength material, wherein one sheet of high strength material is of sufficient length to cover a section said roof, at least one roll bar secured to a building below an overhang and attachable to the high strength material, and at least one wall channel secured to a building below an overhang for receiving the high strength material. Optionally, the roof cover can be a unitary sheet of durable, water proof material. The protective roof cover protects the roof against wind, rain and wind borne debris and other elements associated with storms.
The invention relates generally to a protective roof cover which protects roof tiles and shingles from being torn from a roof during severe weather, such as a hurricane. The roof cover is aesthetically pleasing, durable, waterproof, and within code guidelines. The roof cover can be made in a wide variety of colors to match existing building and roofing materials. The invention also provides season-long protection to roofs, is easy to install, and affordable and focuses upon prevention of hurricane-inflicted wind damage. The invention can be prefabricated during home construction or can be retrofitted onto existing structures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONHurricanes are predicted to increase in number over the next twenty years. Many coastal areas have been hit with hurricanes in recent years, resulting in extraordinary and devastating damage. Many of the homes and buildings in the costal areas are not adequately prepared for hurricanes. One serious effect of a hurricane is roof damage. Roof damage can be minor, yet allow rain water to leak into the building and cause serious damage to the building.
In order to mitigate additional damage that could result from rain, many homeowners' cover roof damage with a temporary tarp until the roof can be repaired. Temporary tarps are very difficult to obtain after a storm when they are needed most. During the hurricane season of 2005, FEMA ran out of tarps in South Florida following hurricane Wilma. Palm Beach Post article at www.palmbeachpost.com, Oct. 27, 2005 titled “FEMA Launches Tarp Plan But Distribution Uncertain”. With many homes in a particular city damaged, roof repair can take months or years to schedule and is relatively expensive. The temporary tarp is typically blue and is a plastic material. The temporary tarp is secured to the roof with nails and/or wood planks which are nailed into the roof and secure the tarp into place. The temporary tarp is not capable of withstanding severe rain or storms and will often fail after extended use and allow water into the building. Such failure is typical after the tarp has been on the roof for a long period. The temporary blue tarp is also very unappealing in appearance. It distracts from the appearance of the house.
Previous attempts have been made to improve roof protection from severe weather, certain features of which are generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,147 to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,392 to Platts; U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,455 to Gunn; U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,289 to Karpinia; U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,327 to Merser et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,545 to Adams; U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,896 to Winger; and United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0182875 to Hill, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,147 to Smith (the '147 patent) describes a tile roof ridge row vent and method of its use. One of the embodiments of this invention is for use in high wind and hurricane prone areas with an angled roof and includes external baffles added to the ridge row vent. The tile roof ridge row vent includes an elongated member having a vertical section and a side section connected to allow air flow there between. The vertical section has a lower sealing skirt that extends under the top row of roof tiles and the side section includes a plurality of ventilation openings angled downwardly and outwardly to allow air to exit the vent while preventing rain or other inclement weather from entering the vent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,392 to Platts (the '392 patent) describes a method of roof reinforcement against hurricanes. Anchors are inserted into suitably located wall cavities, each anchor being suspended by cables extending up through the wall top and into the roof space. Each anchor is fastened by injection into the cavity above the anchor of a hardening, adhering liquid plug of sufficient size and strength. Where there are no wall cavities, the roof is anchored to or through the exterior surfaces of suitably located walls by means of long vertical straps. The straps extend up through the ceiling sufficiently into the roof space, taking the place of the cavity anchors and cables. Beams are used in the roof space so that each anchor can hold down a large area of roof.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,455 to Gunn (the '455 patent) describes a protective cover assembly used to cover and protect widows, doors or other wall openings for homes, office buildings, hotels, and other walled structures from the destructive forces of a high windstorm, such as a hurricane. The '455 patent describes a high strength fabric covering an opening, such as a window and being supported by brackets, a rod and a bar. Once installed, the high strength fabric is stretched over the opening, through the use of a gears and ratchet assembly. The high strength fabric once stretched will provide protection from high winds and wind borne debris common in storms such as hurricanes. The high strength fabric is securely supported to the rod and steel bar that are firmly attached to the wall structure near the wall opening. The high strength fabric can be polyolefin fabrics, polypropylene geomembranes, hypalon, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer, or high density polyethylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,289 to Karpinia (the '289 patent) describes a plurality of shingles and straps which are installed in a manner effective for reinforcing and securing a roof to provide controlled separation of parts of the shingles while maintaining an intact roof surface covering. The lower most portion of the roof structure has an initial course with tabs removed and reinforcing shingle straps are applied on the leading edge. The straps span the shingle width and are about 36″ long and a 1″ width.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,327 to Merser et al. (the '327 patent) describes a method of reinforcing or retrofitting building roof structures against hurricane-force winds which does not require removal of part or all of the roof. The improved method includes directing a thin stream of a liquid polymer foam adhesive under pressure upwardly along the intersections of the rafters or support members and the roof panels, preferably on both sides of the support members. The foam adhesive then creams and foams, forming polymer foam adhesive gussets which firmly adhere to the adjacent surfaces of the support members and roof panels. This method increases the pull-off strength of a roof about seven fold and is able to withstand hurricane-force winds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,477 to Gaffney (the '477 patent) discloses an apparatus and method for securing a building. The apparatus can secure a building having a roof, with a plurality of lines and a plurality of ground anchors which are planted around the building. Netting material spans the lines at the roof. The apparatus has at least one cinch transversely spanning the lines at the roof of the building. At least one lashing may be directed transversely to the predetermined direction and may be connected between one of the lines and one of the anchors. A plurality of tubular boots may separately encircle corresponding ones of the anchors for providing peripheral clearance around the anchors. This invention is designed to hold the roof on the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,545 to Adams (the '545 patent) describes an apparatus for holding the roof on the side walls both vertically and horizontally during high side wind forces. There is a plurality of attachment fixtures carried by respective ones of opposite ends of adjacent rafters along a length of the roof. A plurality of ground anchors is disposed at respective ones of ends of the rafters opposite the opposite ends carrying the plurality of attachment fixtures. A plurality of straps is connected between respective ones of the plurality of attachment fixtures and the plurality of ground anchors. The straps are releasably attached so that they can be stored and only attached when a hurricane or the like is present. The attachment fixtures distribute forces to the whole rafter end and avoid rafter-splitting forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,896 to Winger (the '896 patent) describes a method for securing residential and low rise commercial structures during periods of high wind employing mooring apparatus having a mooring cable, a ground anchor, and a tightening means. One end of the mooring cable is permanently attached to a structural roof member, the remainder being stowed with the tightening means in a roof housing. The ground anchor is strategically installed exterior to the structure. Prior to the onset of a hurricane or other high wind condition, the mooring cable is released from its roof housing, detachably fastened to the ground anchor, and made taut using the tightening means. A number of mooring apparatus are used to secure a given structure.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0182875 to Hill (the '875 publication) describes a high wind roof securement device. The securement device reduces the risk of the roof being blown off during inclement weather. The device includes at least one elongated rod having an upper end and a lower end. The upper end is externally threaded. The upper end extends through an aperature in an upper support of a roof of a structure. The lower end of the rod is formed with a receiving sleeve. The receiving sleeve has internal threads disposed therein. The receiving sleeve is secured to a concrete bolt extending outwardly of a foundation of the structure.
None of the methods and apparatus mentioned above describe an aesthetically pleasing roof cover that is capable of covering a roof during a high wind storm and preventing damage to the roof tiles or shingles. There is no known method for protecting a roof during a hurricane or high wind with a roof cover that is composed of a durable, water proof, material securely attached to the roof by a roll bar and wall channels or removable straps. Moreover, there is a need to protect roof tiles and shingles during hurricane strength wind from being torn off the roof or dislodged. There is also a need for such a roof cover to be durable enough to last all season and water proof to prevent rain water from seeping into the building from any structural damage incurred on the roof. There is also a need for the roof cover to be aesthetically pleasing and available in a wide variety of colors to match various color buildings and roofs. There is also a need for a roof cover that is able to be put on the roof at the beginning of the season and remain on the roof all season. There is also a need for an alternative to the temporary blue tarp to solve functionality issues and appearance issues. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a roof cover comprising a plurality of sheets of high strength material, wherein one sheet of high strength material is of sufficient length to cover a section the roof, at least one roll bar secured to a building below an overhang and attachable to the high strength material, and at least one wall channel secured to a building below an overhang for receiving the high strength material. There is also a need for a protective roof cover for protecting a roof during hurricane conditions, comprising a high strength material of sufficient size to cover the roof and a plurality of removable straps attachable on one end of the strap to the roof cover and attachable on the other end of the strap to a secure structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe current invention satisfies the above needs by providing an aesthetically pleasing, durable, waterproof, code-adhering roof cover. The roof cover provides protection to residential or commercial roofs during hurricanes. The invention also provides season-long protection to roofs, is easy to install, affordable and focuses upon prevention of hurricane-inflicted wind damage. The invention can be prefabricated during home construction or can be retrofitted onto existing structures.
The invention provides a protective roof cover for protecting a roof during hurricane conditions, comprising a plurality of sheets of high strength material, wherein one sheet of high strength material is of sufficient length to cover a section the roof, at least one roll bar secured to a building below an overhang and attachable to the high strength material, and at least one wall channel secured to a building below an overhang for receiving the high strength material. The protective roof cover covers the roof and protects against wind, rain and wind borne debris and other elements associated with storms. The roof cover is aesthetically pleasing and available in a wide variety of colors to match various color buildings and roof shingles or tiles.
The current invention also provides a roof cover comprising at least one sheet of durable, water-proof material, at least one roll bar attached to a first wall of a building under a overhang of a roof, at least one wall channel attached to a second wall of the building under the overhang of the roof, wherein the durable, water-proof material is attachable to the roll bar and is pulled taut across a section of the roof and terminates under an overhang of the roof where the material is secured to the wall channel.
The current invention further provides a roof cover comprising at least one sheet of durable, water-proof vinyl material wherein the material is pulled taut across the roof. At least one roll bar is attached to a first wall of a building under a overhang of a roof. At least one wall channel is attached to a second wall of a building under the overhang of the roof. At least one clamp bar secures the sheet of durable, water-proof material to the wall channel. The durable, water-proof material is attachable to the roll bar and is pulled taut across a section of the roof and terminates under the overhang of the roof where the material is secured to the wall channel by the clamp bar.
The current invention also provides for a roof cover comprising a sheet of durable, water-proof material cut slightly larger than a roof wherein the material is pulled taut across the roof and terminates under an overhang of the roof. A plurality of removable straps is attachable on one end of the strap to the roof cover and attachable on the other end of the strap to a building.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention may be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of the embodiments thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings.
The high-strength material protective roof cover 1 can be employed on top of an existing roof 3 or used in new construction underneath roof tiles 2 or shingles. In either position, the roof cover 1 provides protection from water seeping through the roof 3. As shown in
The roof cover 1 can be made of different materials. Preferably, the roof cover 1 is composed of a durable, water proof vinyl that is pulled taut across the roof 3. The roof cover 1 can also be made of canvas, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EDPM), high density polyethylene (HDPE), chorosulfonated polyethylene synthetic rubber, nylon, urethane, and other similar materials. The roof cover 1 is preferably composed of a breathable material, which prevents the growth of mold or mildew under the roof cover 1. For ease of use, the roof cover 1 can be made in sections about five feet in width and the sections are individually rolled into place over the roof 3 and joined together with known means, such as snaps. The roof cover 1 can be colored to match the exterior of the building 5 or the existing shingles or tiles 2. The roof cover 1 can be a natural color, white, or a wide variety of colors similar to those used on barrel tiles, which are commonly used on roofs 3 in tropical climates. Accordingly, the roof cover 1 will be aesthetically pleasing. This is a significant improvement over the appearance of the plastic blue tarps currently being used on homes to temporarily fix the roof 3 damage until the roof 3 can be properly fixed. The use of the roof cover 1 as a cover applied to the roof 3 during the hurricane season will provide aesthetically pleasing protection during the entire season. The use of the roof cover 1 will also help to reduce the shortage of emergency/temporary tarps supplied by FEMA to persons who have suffered roof damage during a hurricane. The shortage of the temporary tarps during the 2005 hurricane season was a big problem and left hundreds of homes unprotected from the elements.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The roof cover 1 can be put on the roof 3 just prior to hurricane season and left on the roof 3 during the entire season. The roof cover 1 will prevent wind from damaging the roof 3 and will also prevent water from penetrating the roof 3, if any damage is sustained by the roof 3 during a storm. In new construction, the roof cover 1 could be installed underneath the tiles 2 or shingles. In such a fashion, the roof cover 1 would add additional strength to the roof 3 and prevent water from leaking into the building through any roof 3 damage.
The roof cover 1 typically lays on top of the roof 3. To put the roof cover 1 on the roof 3, the user will simply roll the sections of the roof cover 1 from the roll bar 4 and over the roof 3. When the section of roof cover 1 is reaches to other side of the roof 3, it is attached to the wall channel 8 and clamping bar 9. The roof cover 1 is secured to the wall channel 8 and clamping bar 9 by inserting the bolt 10 through grommets in the end of the roof cover 1. The hex bolt 10 is tightened to firmly secure the roof cover 1. Once in place, the roof cover 1 is further tightened by cranking the uptake wench handle 6. The uptake wench handle 6 will also serve to loosen the roof cover 1 for removing the cover 1.
The roof cover 1 embodiment shown in
The embodiment of the roof cover 1 shown in
Accordingly, it will be understood that the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed by way of example and that other modifications and alterations may occur to those skilled in the art. For instance, a variety of available attachment means may be used for attaching the roof cover to a building and are widely known for use with hurricane shutters.
Claims
1. A protective roof cover comprising:
- a plurality of sheets of high strength material, wherein each of said sheets of high strength material is of sufficient length to cover a section said roof;
- at least one roll bar secured to a building below an overhang and attachable to said high strength material;
- at least one wall channel secured to said building below said overhang for receiving said high strength material; and
- whereby said protective roof cover covers said roof and protects against wind, rain and wind borne debris and other elements associated with storms.
2. The roof cover of claim 1, wherein said high strength material is vinyl.
3. The roof cover of claim 1, wherein said high strength material is plastic.
4. The roof cover of claim 1, wherein said high strength material is a synthetic material.
5. The roof cover of claim 1, wherein said high strength material can be a variety of colors.
6. The roof cover of claim 1, wherein said roof cover further includes a clamp bar for securing said plurality of sheets of high strength material to said wall channel.
7. The roof cover of claim 6, wherein said wall channel receives said clamp bar and said high strength material and secures both to said building with a plurality of bolts.
8. The roof cover of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sheets of high strength material are secured to each other with a plurality of snaps.
9. The roof cover of claim 1, wherein said roof cover is retractable by winding said roof cover onto said roll bar.
10. The roof cover of claim 1, further including a wench on said roll bar for tightening said roof cover across said roof after said roof cover has been attached to said wall channel.
11. The roof cover of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sheets of high strength material are each five feet in width.
12. A roof cover comprising:
- at least one sheet of durable, water-proof material;
- at least one roll bar attached to a first wall of a building under an overhang of a roof;
- at least one wall channel attached to a second wall of said building under said overhang of said roof; and
- wherein said durable, water-proof material is attachable to said at least one roll bar and is pulled taut across a section of said roof and terminates under said overhang of said roof where said material is secured to said wall channel.
13. The roof cover of claim 12, wherein said durable, water-proof material is vinyl.
14. The roof cover of claim 12, wherein said durable, water-proof material is plastic.
15. The roof cover of claim 12, wherein said durable, water-proof material can be a variety of colors.
16. The roof cover of claim 12, wherein said roof cover further includes at least one clamp bar for securing said at least one sheet of durable, water-proof material to said wall channel.
17. The roof cover of claim 12, wherein said wall channel receives said at least one clamp bar and at least one sheet of durable, water-proof material and secures both to said building with a plurality of bolts.
18. The roof cover of claim 12, wherein said roof cover is retractable by winding said durable, water proof material onto said roll bar.
19. The roof cover of claim 12, further including a wench on said roll bar for tightening said roof cover across said roof after said roof cover has been attached to said wall channel.
20. A roof cover comprising:
- at least one sheet of durable, water-proof vinyl material wherein said material is pulled taut across a roof;
- at least one roll bar attached to a first wall of a building under an overhang of said roof;
- at least one wall channel attached to a second wall of said building under said overhang of said roof;
- at least one clamp bar for securing said at least one sheet of durable, water-proof vinyl material to said at least one wall channel;
- wherein said durable, water-proof vinyl material is attachable to said at least one roll bar and is pulled taut across a section of said roof and terminates under said overhang of said roof where said material is secured to said at least one wall channel by said at least one clamp bar.
21. The roof cover of claim 20, wherein said roof cover is composed of several sheets of said durable, water-proof vinyl material joined together by a plurality of snaps.
22. The roof cover of claim 20, further including a wench on said at least one roll bar for tightening said roof cover across said roof after said roof cover has been attached to said at least one wall channel.
23. The roof cover of claim 20, wherein said roof cover is retractable by winding said roof cover onto said at least one roll bar.
24. The roof cover of claim 20, further including a rubber ridge support attached to a ridge of said roof.
25. The roof cover of claim 20, wherein said vinyl material can be a variety of colors.
26. A roof cover comprising:
- a sheet of durable, water-proof material cut slightly larger than a roof wherein said material is pulled taut across said roof and terminates under an overhang of said roof; and
- a plurality of removable straps attachable on one end of said strap to said roof cover and attachable on the other end of said strap to a building.
27. The roof cover of claim 26, wherein said durable, water-proof material is vinyl.
28. The roof cover of claim 26, wherein said durable, water-proof material is plastic.
29. The roof cover of claim 26, wherein said durable, water-proof material can be a variety of colors.
30. The roof cover of claim 26, wherein said roof cover further includes an elastic band around a perimeter of said roof cover.
31. The roof cover of claim 26, wherein said removable straps are attached to said building by a plurality of anchor bolts.
32. The roof cover of claim 26, wherein said removable straps are attached to said building by a pluarlity of screws.
Type: Application
Filed: May 17, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 22, 2007
Inventor: Preston Cowvins (Miami, FL)
Application Number: 11/435,928
International Classification: E04B 1/34 (20060101);