Low profile roof vent

Abstract

A roof vent has a body with a flange removably mountable adjacent a roof surface and a base attached to a distal end of the flange and disposed between two side walls, where the base and the side walls define a compartment therebetween. The compartment is disposed in an area beneath the roof surface when the flange is mounted to the roof surface, wherein the base extends at an angle relative to the flange to direct water that enters the compartment toward the distal end of the flange and onto the roof surface. An opening in the body allows airflow between the compartment and the area beneath the roof surface outside the body. A cover is removably mountable over the flange so that the roof vent has a low profile relative to the roof surface. The cover has a surface and at least one opening configured to substantially allow airflow between the compartment and an area above the roof surface.

1 . A roof vent comprising: 
 a flange extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the flange removably mountable adjacent a roof surface;    a base attached to the distal end of the flange and disposed between two side walls, the base and side walls defining a compartment therebetween, the compartment disposed in an area beneath the roof surface when the flange is mounted to the roof surface, wherein the base extends at an angle relative to the flange to direct water that enters the compartment toward the distal end of the flange and onto the roof surface; and    a cover removably mountable over the flange, the cover having at least one opening configured to substantially allow airflow between the compartment and an area above the roof surface.    
   
   
       2 . The roof vent of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is louvered.  
   
   
       3 . The roof vent of  claim 2 , wherein the louvered cover includes multiple fins positioned across the openings and oriented at a desired angle relative to a the cover surface.  
   
   
       4 . The roof vent of  claim 1 , wherein the base directs water back onto the roof surface via the force of gravity.  
   
   
       5 . The roof vent of  claim 1 , wherein the cover and flange define a drain at the distal end when the cover is mounted to the flange.  
   
   
       6 . The roof vent of  claim 1 , further comprising a baffle attached to the base, the baffle configured to further prevent water that enters the compartment from exiting the compartment by passing into an area beneath the roof surface outside the compartment.  
   
   
       7 . The roof vent of  claim 1 , wherein the body has an opening that substantially allows airflow between the compartment and an area beneath the roof surface outside the body.  
   
   
       8 . The roof vent of  claim 7 , wherein the opening is covered by a grill.  
   
   
       9 . A roof vent, comprising: 
 a body removably mountable to a roof surface so that a substantial portion of the body is disposed in an area beneath the roof surface, the body defining a channel therein and having a base extending generally at an angle relative to the roof surface, the body also having an opening that substantially allows airflow between the channel and an area beneath the roof surface outside the body,    wherein the base is configured to substantially prevent the flow of water into the area beneath the roof surface outside the body.    
   
   
       10 . The roof vent of  claim 9 , wherein the base is generally planar.  
   
   
       11 . The roof vent of  claim 9 , wherein the opening is filtered to prevent the ingress of particulate matter from the channel into the area beneath the roof surface outside the body.  
   
   
       12 . The roof vent of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a cover having a surface and defining at least one opening therein, the cover removably attached to the body, the cover being filtered to prevent the ingress of particulate matter from above the roof surface into the channel, the cover and body defining a drain therebetween.    
   
   
       13 . The roof vent of  claim 12 , wherein the filtered cover includes at least one fin positioned across the at least one opening and oriented at an angle relative to the cover surface to substantially allow airflow between an area above the roof surface and the channel.  
   
   
       14 . The roof vent of  claim 9 , further comprising a grill disposed over the opening to substantially prevent the ingress of particulate matter from the channel into the area beneath the roof surface outside the body.  
   
   
       15 . The roof vent of  claim 14 , wherein the grill comprises wire mesh.  
   
   
       16 . A roof vent, comprising: 
 a body removably mountable to a roof surface so that a substantial portion of the body is disposed in an area beneath the roof surface, the body having a base extending generally at an angle relative to the roof surface to direct a fluid that enters the body onto the roof surface;    a cover removably attached to the body and defining a drain therebetween, the cover defining at least one opening therein, the cover oriented generally parallel to the roof surface; and    means for substantially allowing airflow between an area beneath the roof surface outside the body and an area above the roof surface.    
   
   
       17 . The roof vent of  claim 16 , wherein the roof vent has a low profile when mounted to the roof surface.  
   
   
       18 . The roof vent of  claim 17 , wherein the cover extends no more than approximately ½ inch above the roof surface.  
   
   
       19 . A method for venting a roof, comprising: 
 cutting an opening of a desired size in a roof surface;    providing a roof vent comprising a body defining a channel and having a flange and a base angled relative to the flange;    attaching the roof vent to the roof surface so that the flange is adjacent the roof surface and the channel is in communication with the opening, where a substantial portion of the body is disposed in an area beneath the roof surface;    positioning a vent cover over the flange, the cover and flange defining a drain therebetween; and    fastening the vent cover to the flange.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the cover is louvered.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the cover is positioned so that the roof vent has a low profile relative to the roof surface.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein positioning the cover so that the roof vent has a low profile includes positioning the cover so it extends no more than about ½ inch above the roof surface.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein attaching the roof vent includes inserting the roof vent through the opening so the flange rests on top of the roof surface.