Water heater furnace cover

Abstract

A utility sleeve for temporarily waterproofing a utility device comprises a top portion, a slack portion capable of being furled and unfurled by a user, a rim portion, and a bottom portion enclosed underneath the utility device. The slack portion is provided on all sides of the utility sleeve. When water levels rise due to floods and/or storm water conditions, the slack portion can be easily unfurled along all sides of the utility device by the user. The rim portion is partially closed by a closure means to allow release of gases and to allow the utility sleeve to conform to the utility device as a waterproof layer. The closure means can be attached to a part of a building structure above the utility device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A utility sleeve for temporarily waterproofing a utility device in the event of flood or water exposure, comprising:
 a top portion with a closure means;   a slack portion capable of being furled and unfurled by a user,   a rim portion; and   a bottom portion enclosed underneath the utility device;   whereby in a furled position, the utility sleeve sits at the base of a utility device with the top portion unsealed, and in an unfurled position, the utility sleeve covers the utility device up to a top portion of the utility device with the rim portion of the utility sleeve partially sealed by the closure means.   
     
     
         2 . The utility sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said closure means is attachable to a part of a building structure above the utility device to keep the utility sleeve in an unfurled position. 
     
     
         3 . The utility sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one strapping to keep the utility sleeve in a furled position, with one end of the at least one strapping attached to the top portion of the utility sleeve and the other end of the at least one strapping attached to the bottom portion of the utility sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The utility sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the closure means comprises a drawstring, toggle, and eye-hook. 
     
     
         5 . The utility sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the rim portion is part of the slack portion. 
     
     
         6 . The utility sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the rim portion is part of the top portion. 
     
     
         7 . The utility sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the utility device is a water heater, furnace, boiler, gas valve or burner. 
     
     
         8 . The utility sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the utility sleeve is made of a non-conductive, non-flammable and waterproof material. 
     
     
         9 . The utility sleeve of  claim 7 , wherein the non-conductive, non-flammable and waterproof material is a single layer engineered Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC), a multiple layer engineered Poly Vinyl Chloride(PVC), or polyurethane and Teflon fabrics. 
     
     
         10 . A method for protecting a utility device such as a water heater, furnace or boiler from water damage comprising the steps of:
 installing a utility sleeve underneath and around a bottom portion of the utility device, the utility sleeve having a slack portion;   covering the utility device with the utility sleeve up to a top portion of the utility device;   partially closing a rim of the utility sleeve with a closure means to allow gas or exhaust from the utility device to escape;   and attaching the closure means to a part of a building structure, above the utility device, to keep the utility sleeve in an unfurled position.