S-shaped roof vent, ventilated roof employing the same and method of installing the same

Abstract

A generally S-shaped vent is provided for a roof including a substructure having at least one ventilation hole and being covered by a plurality of tiles. The tiles form a finish layer having peaks and valleys. The vent includes a base assembly having a number of flange members and at least one venting member with a vent aperture. The flange members are coupled to the roof substructure at or about the ventilation hole. At least one cap member is coupled to the base assembly, overlaying the vent aperture and including an upslope end, a downslope end, first and second sides, and an arcuate portion extending between the first and second sides. First and second louvered portions of the first and second sides of the cap member provide a ventilating passageway through the vent. The vent substantially conforms to the peaks and valleys of the finish layer of the roof.

1 . A vent for a roof, said roof including a substructure having at least one ventilation hole and being covered by a plurality of tiles, said tiles forming a finish layer of said roof having a plurality of peaks and valleys, said vent comprising:
 a base assembly including a number of flange members and at least one venting member having a vent aperture, said flange members being structured to be coupled to said substructure of said roof at or about a corresponding one of said at least one ventilation hole;   at least one cap member coupled to said base assembly and overlaying said vent aperture thereof, said at least one cap member including an upslope end, a downslope end, first and second sides, and an arcuate portion extending between the first and second sides;   a first louvered portion at or about the first side of said at least one cap member and including a plurality of first louvers; and   a second louvered portion at or about the second side of said at least one cap member and including a plurality of second louvers,   wherein said vent when installed, is structured to provide a ventilating passageway through said at least one ventilation hole of said substructure of said roof in order to vent air from beneath said roof through said vent aperture of said at least one venting member of said base assembly, through said first and second louvers of said at least one cap member, and out of said vent into the surrounding atmosphere, and   wherein said vent generally conforms to said peaks and valleys of said finish layer of said roof.   
   
   
       2 . The vent of  claim 1  wherein said tiles of said roof are Spanish tiles; and
 one of said at least one venting member, and one of said at least one cap member coupled thereto has a generally S-shape when viewed from an end elevation perspective in order to conform in shape to said Spanish tiles.   
   
   
       3 . The vent of  claim 1  wherein said at least one cap member further comprises a first end piece coupled to the upslope end of said cap member, and a second end piece coupled to the downslope end of said cap member; wherein said first end piece and said second end piece each include a tab; and wherein said tab of said first end piece and said tab of said second end piece are coupled to a corresponding one of said at least one venting member of said base assembly in order to attach said upslope end and said downslope end of said cap member thereto. 
   
   
       4 . The vent of  claim 3  wherein said first end piece forms a sloped angle between said cap member and said corresponding one of said venting members of said base assembly, in order to deflect moisture and debris away from said vent. 
   
   
       5 . The vent of  claim 3  wherein said second end piece includes a number of louvers in order to further increase air flow through said vent; wherein said louvers of said second end piece are angled downward with respect to the downslope end of said cap member in order to resist the undesired entry of moisture and debris therethrough;
 and wherein said second end piece and said louvers thereof are generally flush with respect to the downslope end of said cap member, in order to further resist the undesired entry of moisture and debris.   
   
   
       6 . The vent of  claim 1  wherein said first louvered portion of said at least one cap member and said second louvered portion of said cap member extend inwardly from the first and second sides of said cap member, in order that said first louvers and said second louvers are generally disposed beneath and are shielded by said arcuate portion of said cap member. 
   
   
       7 . The vent of  claim 6  wherein said corresponding one of said at least one venting members of said base assembly further comprises an upturned flange adjacent said vent aperture thereof; wherein said cap member further comprises a pair of attachment flanges generally extending between the upslope end of said cap member and the downslope end of said cap member; and wherein said attachment flanges of said cap member engage and overlap said upturned flange of said corresponding one of said at least one venting members of said base assembly, thereby resisting the undesired entry of moisture and debris therebetween. 
   
   
       8 . The vent of  claim 7  wherein said first louvered portion of said cap member and said second louvered portion of said cap member each form an angle with respect to a corresponding one of said pair of said attachment flanges of said cap member which is less than about 90 degrees. 
   
   
       9 . The vent of  claim 1  wherein said first louvers of said at least one cap member and said second louvers of said at least one cap member each form an angle with respect to said first louvered portion of said cap member and said second louvered portion of said cap member, respectively, of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees. 
   
   
       10 . The vent of  claim 1  wherein said base assembly of said vent comprises five separate components coupled together; wherein said five separate components of said base assembly are a first flange member, a second flange member, a third intermediate flange member disposed therebetween, and first and second venting members; wherein said first venting member is disposed between said first flange member and said third intermediate flange member and said second venting member is disposed between said third intermediate flange member and said second flange member; wherein said at least one cap member of said vent is a pair of first and second cap members; and wherein said first cap member is coupled to said first venting member of said base assembly and said second cap member is coupled to said second venting member of said base assembly. 
   
   
       11 . The vent of  claim 1  wherein the net flow area provided by said louvers of said at least one cap member of said vent is about 40 to about 50 square inches. 
   
   
       12 . A ventilated roof comprising:
 a substructure including a substantially flat layer having at least one ventilation hole;   a plurality of tiles attached to said substantially flat layer to form a finish layer of said roof, said finish layer having a plurality of peaks and valleys; and   a vent overlaying each of said at least one ventilation hole of said roof, said vent comprising:
 a base assembly including a number of flange members and at least one venting member having a vent aperture, said flange members being coupled to said substructure of said roof at or about a corresponding one of said at least one ventilation hole, 
 at least one cap member coupled to said base assembly and overlaying said vent aperture thereof, said at least one cap member including an upslope end, a downslope end, first and second sides, and an arcuate portion extending between the first and second sides, 
 a first louvered portion at or about the first side of said at least one cap member and including a plurality of first louvers, and 
 a second louvered portion at or about the second side of said at least one cap member and including a plurality of second louvers, 
 wherein a ventilating passageway is provided through said at least one ventilation hole of said substructure of said roof in order to vent air from beneath said roof through said vent aperture of said at least one venting member of said base assembly, through said first and second louvers of said at least one cap member, and out of said vent into the surrounding atmosphere, and 
 wherein said vent generally conforms to said peaks and valleys of said finish layer of said roof. 
   
   
   
       13 . The ventilated roof of  claim 12  wherein said tiles of said roof are Spanish tiles; and one of said at least one venting member, and one of said at least one cap member coupled thereto has a generally S-shape when viewed from an end elevation perspective in order to conform in shape to said Spanish tiles. 
   
   
       14 . The ventilated roof of  claim 12  wherein said at least one cap member of said vent further comprises a first end piece coupled to the upslope end of said cap member, and a second end piece coupled to the downslope end of said cap member;
 wherein said first end piece and said second end piece each include a tab; and wherein said tab of said first end piece and said tab of said second end piece are coupled to a corresponding one of said at least one venting member of said base assembly in order to attach said upslope end and said downslope end of said cap member thereto.   
   
   
       15 . The ventilated roof of  claim 14  wherein said first end piece forms a sloped angle between said cap member and said corresponding one of said venting members of said base assembly, in order to deflect moisture and debris away from said vent. 
   
   
       16 . The ventilated roof of  claim 14  wherein said second end piece includes a number of louvers in order to further increase airflow through said vent; wherein said louvers of said second end piece are angled downward with respect to the downslope end of said cap member in order to resist the undesired entry of moisture and debris therethrough; and wherein said second end piece and said louvers thereof are generally flush with respect to the downslope end of said cap member, in order to further resist the undesired entry of moisture and debris. 
   
   
       17 . The ventilated roof of  claim 12  wherein said first louvered portion of said at least one cap member of said vent and said second louvered portion of said at least one cap member extend inwardly from the first and second sides of said cap member, in order that said first louvers and said second louvers are generally disposed beneath and are shielded by said arcuate portion of said cap member. 
   
   
       18 . The ventilated roof of  claim 17  wherein said corresponding one of said at least one venting members of said base assembly of said vent further comprises an upturned flange adjacent said vent aperture thereof; wherein said cap member of said vent further comprises a pair of attachment flanges generally extending between the upslope end of said cap member and the downslope end of said cap member; and wherein said attachment flanges of said cap member engage and overlap said upturned flange of said corresponding one of said at least one venting members of said base assembly, thereby resisting the undesired entry of moisture and debris therebetween. 
   
   
       19 . The ventilated roof of  claim 18  wherein said first louvered portion of said cap member and said second louvered portion of said cap member each form an angle with respect to a corresponding one of said pair of said attachment flanges of said cap member which is less than about 90 degrees. 
   
   
       20 . The ventilated roof of  claim 12  wherein said first louvers of said at least one cap member of said vent and said second louvers of said at least one cap member each form an angle with respect to said first louvered portion of said cap member and said second louvered portion of said cap member, respectively, of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees. 
   
   
       21 . The ventilated roof of  claim 12  wherein said base assembly of said vent comprises five separate components coupled together; wherein said five separate components of said base assembly are a first flange member, a second flange member, a third intermediate flange member disposed therebetween, and first and second venting members; wherein said first venting member is disposed between said first flange member and said third intermediate flange member and said second venting member is disposed between said third intermediate flange member and said second flange member;
 wherein said at least one cap member of said vent is a pair of first and second cap members; and wherein said first cap member is coupled to said first venting member of said base assembly and said second cap member is coupled to said second venting member of said base assembly.   
   
   
       22 . The ventilated roof of  claim 12  wherein said vent further comprises a sub-flashing and filter assembly coupled to said substantially flat layer of said substructure of said roof at or about said at least one ventilation hole, beneath said base assembly of said vent; wherein said sub-flashing and filter assembly comprises sub-flashing and a filter removably coupled to said sub-flashing; wherein said sub-flashing comprises a peripheral flange, a thru hole extending through said peripheral flange, and an upturned collar surrounding said thru hole; and wherein said filter is removably inserted into said thru hole of said sub-flashing in order to resist the undesired entry of relatively large matter, therethrough. 
   
   
       23 . The ventilated roof of  claim 22  wherein said filter comprises a formed screen; and wherein said formed screen engages said thru hole of said sub-flashing and is secured therein by interference fit. 
   
   
       24 . A method of installing a roof vent on a roof having a substructure with a substantially flat layer, the method comprising:
 providing a sub-flashing including a peripheral flange and a thru hole extending through said peripheral flange;   employing said sub-flashing as a template for precisely positioning a ventilation hole to be cut through said substantially flat layer of said roof substructure;   cutting said ventilation hole;   attaching said sub-flashing to said substantially flat layer of said roof in order that said thru hole of said sub-flashing is aligned with said ventilation hole;   providing a filter for said sub-flashing and installing said filter in said thru hole of said sub-flashing once said ventilation hole has been cut in said roof;   providing a vent having a base assembly including at least one vent aperture, and at least one cap member attached to said base assembly over said vent aperture, said cap member including a plurality of louvers, a portion of said vent comprising part of said base assembly and one of said at least one cap member has a generally S-shaped when viewed from an end elevation perspective; and   attaching said vent to said substantially flat layer of said roof over said sub-flashing of said vent in order to provide a ventilation passageway for venting air from beneath said substantially flat layer of said roof, through said ventilation hole of said roof, through said thru hole of said sub-flashing of said vent, through said at least one vent aperture of said base assembly of said vent, and through said louvers of said at least one cap member of said vent, out into the surrounding atmosphere,   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising tracing said thru hole of said sub-flashing prior to cutting said ventilation hole in said roof, in order to precisely size and position said ventilation hole to be substantially the same size and shape and to be aligned with said thru hole. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising:
 attaching a plurality of roof tiles to said substantially flat layer of said roof in order to form a finish layer of said roof having a plurality of peaks and valleys.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  comprising:
 installing said sub-flashing on said substantially flat layer of said roof prior to cutting said ventilation hole in said roof, and   cutting said ventilation hole in said roof, inserting said filter into said thru hole of said sub-flashing, and attaching said vent to said roof over said ventilation hole, just prior to said tiles being attached to said substantially flat layer of said roof.