Cover For A Roof Ventilation Vent

Abstract

A cover for installation onto a roof ventilation vent is provided including a substantially rigid planar base member, at least one side member, and at least one securing member configured with holes adapted to receive fastening elements. The fastening elements are preferably permanently mounted to the building and utilized with corresponding nuts to removably mount the vent cover over the roof ventilation vent. The width, length, and depth of the vent cover are slightly larger than the width, length, and depth of the roof ventilation vent to allow the vent cover to fit over the ventilation vent. The roof ventilation vent cover is designed to removably cover the ventilation vent to prevent a pressure differential, flying debris damage, and water intrusion during hurricanes, to prevent airborne embers from entering during a firestorm, and to protect the vent against accidental paint splatters.

1 . A vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building, said vent cover comprising:
 a generally thin, rigid planar base member, the shape of said planar base member conforming generally to the shape of said ventilation vent with the width and length of said planar base member being sized slightly larger than the width and length of said ventilation vent;   at least one generally thin, rigid planar side member joined to said planar base member in a substantially perpendicular manner, said at least one side member configured to extend from said planar base member a slightly larger distance than the distance said ventilation vent extends from said exterior of said building;   at least one generally thin, rigid planar securing member joined to said at least one side member in a substantially perpendicular manner, said at least one securing member configured with at least one hole, whereby said at least one securing member is to be secured on said exterior of said building in such a manner that said vent cover substantially covers said ventilation vent.   
   
   
       2 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said planar base member, said at least one side member, and said at least one securing member are formed unitarily. 
   
   
       3 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said planar base member, said at least one side member, and said at least one securing member are joined by bonding. 
   
   
       4 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one fastening element adapted to secure said at least one securing member to said exterior of said building, wherein said at least one fastening element is sized and configured to fit through said at least one hole of said at least one securing member, and wherein said at least one hole in said at least one securing member is adapted to receive one of said at least one fastening element. 
   
   
       5 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising at least one corresponding nut sized and configured to fit on said at least one fastening element to secure said at least one securing member to said exterior of said building, whereby said vent cover is removably mountable to the said exterior of said building and secured over said ventilation vent. 
   
   
       6 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said at least one fastening element is permanently mountable onto said exterior of said building. 
   
   
       7 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said planar base member is substantially circular. 
   
   
       8 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said planar base member is substantially hexagonal. 
   
   
       9 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said planar base member is substantially triangular. 
   
   
       10 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building as recited in  claim 6 , wherein:
 said planar base member is substantially rectangular having opposing longitudinal edges and opposing lateral edges;   said at least one side member comprises a first longitudinal side member and a second longitudinal side member, said first longitudinal side member and said second longitudinal side member joined substantially perpendicularly to said opposing longitudinal edges of said planar base member;   said at least one side member further comprises a first lateral side member and a second lateral side member substantially perpendicularly joined to said opposing lateral edges of said planar base member; and   at least one securing member comprises a first securing member substantially forming a right angle with said first lateral side member and further comprises a second securing member substantially forming a right angle with said second lateral side member.   
   
   
       11 . The vent cover for installation onto a ventilation vent located on the exterior of a building as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said
 planar base member, said at least one side member, and said at least one securing member are formed unitarily.   
   
   
       12 . A vent cover for installation onto an exterior of a building over a ventilation vent, said vent cover comprising:
 a generally thin, rigid, rectangular planar base member configured to fit over said ventilation vent, with the length and width of said planar base member being slightly larger than the width and length of said ventilation vent, said planar base member having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge;   a first generally thin, rigid, rectangular longitudinal side member forming a substantially right angle with said first longitudinal edge, said first longitudinal side member configured to extend from said first longitudinal edge a slightly larger distance than the distance said ventilation vent extends from said exterior side of said building;   a second generally thin, rigid, rectangular longitudinal side member forming a substantially right angle with said second longitudinal edge, said second longitudinal side member configured to extend from said first longitudinal edge a slightly larger distance than the distance said ventilation vent extends from said exterior side of said building;   a first generally thin, rigid, rectangular lateral side member forming a substantially right angle with said first lateral edge, said first lateral member side member configured to extend from said first longitudinal edge a slightly larger distance than the distance said ventilation vent extends from said exterior side of said building;   a second generally thin, rigid, rectangular lateral side member forming a substantially right angle with said first lateral edge, said second lateral member side member configured to extend from said first longitudinal edge a slightly larger distance than the distance said ventilation vent extends from said exterior side of said building;   a first generally thin, rigid planar securing member forming a substantially right angle with said first lateral edge, said first securing member configured with one or more holes adapted for securing said securing member to said exterior side of said building; and   a second generally thin, rigid planar securing member forming a substantially right angle with said second lateral edge, said second securing member configured with one or more holes adapted for securing said securing member to said exterior side of said building.   
   
   
       13 . The vent cover for installation onto an exterior of a building over a ventilation vent as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising multiple fastening elements adapted to secure said vent cover to said exterior side of said building, wherein said multiple fastening elements are sized and configured to fit through said one or more holes of said first securing member and of said second securing member, and wherein said one or more holes of said first securing member and said one or more holes of said second securing member are adapted to receive one of said multiple fastening elements. 
   
   
       14 . The vent cover for installation onto an exterior of a building over a ventilation vent as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said multiple fastening elements comprise toggle bolts. 
   
   
       15 . The vent cover for installation onto an exterior of a building over a ventilation vent as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said multiple fastening elements are configured with wood screw threads and with machine screw threads, wherein said wood screw threads are configured for threadingly engaging said exterior of a building. 
   
   
       16 . The vent cover for installation onto an exterior of a building over a ventilation vent as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising multiple corresponding nuts configured to threadingly engage with said machine screw threads of said multiple fastening elements, whereby said vent cover is removably mountable to the said exterior side of said building and secured over said ventilation vent. 
   
   
       17 . The vent cover for installation onto an exterior of a building over a ventilation vent as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said planar base member, said first lateral side member, said second lateral side member, said first longitudinal side member, said second longitudinal side member, said first securing member, and said second securing member are formed unitarily. 
   
   
       18 . The vent cover for installation onto an exterior of a building over a ventilation vent as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said planar base member, said first lateral side member, said second lateral side member, said first longitudinal side member, said second longitudinal side member, said first securing member, and said second securing member are joined by bonding. 
   
   
       19 . The method of installing a vent cover over a ventilation vent located on an exterior of a building, comprising:
 fitting said vent cover over said ventilation vent;   engaging a first fastening element through a hole in a first securing member of said vent cover and into said exterior side of said building;   tightening said first fastening element;   engaging a second fastening element through a hole in a second securing member of said vent cover and into said exterior side of said building;   tightening said first fastening element;   engaging a first corresponding nut on said first fastening element;   engaging a second corresponding nut on said second fastening element;   threading said first corresponding nut along said first fastening element to secure said first securing member to said exterior side of said building; and   threading said second corresponding nut along said second fastening element to secure said second securing member to said exterior side of said building.   
   
   
       20 . The method of installing a vent cover over a ventilation vent located on an exterior side of said building, as recited in  claim 19  further comprising:
 threading said first corresponding nut along said first fastening element to loosen said first securing member from said exterior side of said building until said first corresponding nut is no longer engaged on said first fastening element;   threading said second corresponding nut along said second fastening element to loosen said second securing member from said exterior side of said building until said second corresponding nut is no longer engaged on said second fastening element; and   removing said vent cover from said ventilation vent.