Gas permeable arrester seal with integrated weep conduit for ridge vents

Abstract

A two-layer arrester seal for venting a pitched roof at a ridge termination. The arrester seal includes a foundation layer and a gas permeable layer disposed or formed thereon. The foundation layer can be self-supporting to provide structural definition to the arrester seal and can be formed to contour to a transverse profile of the roof adjacent the ridge termination. The gas permeable layer can be formed from a bonded-fiber matting and the foundation layer can be formed from a liquid-impermeable closed cell foam. The foundation layer can include a weep conduit to provide a liquid egress route below the arrester seal.

1 . An arrester seal for a ridge vent comprising:
 a foundation layer formed from a material configured to impede airflow and comprising:
 a top surface; and 
 a bottom surface formed to substantially contour to a transverse profile of a roofing section and comprising a weep conduit; and 
   a gas permeable layer coupled to and extending across the entirety of the top surface and formed from a material having a determinable airflow resistance, the gas permeable layer formed to contour to an underside of a ridge cap.   
     
     
         2 . The arrester seal of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive strip coupled to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         3 . The arrester seal of  claim 2 , wherein the adhesive strip is a first adhesive strip and the arrester seal further comprises a second adhesive strip coupled to a top surface of the gas permeable layer. 
     
     
         4 . The arrester seal of  claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable layer defines a substantially planar top surface of the arrester seal. 
     
     
         5 . The arrester seal of  claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable layer is formed from one of an open cell foam and a bonded-fiber matting. 
     
     
         6 . The arrester seal of  claim 1 , wherein the foundation layer is formed from a liquid-impermeable material. 
     
     
         7 . The arrester seal of  claim 1 , wherein the foundation layer is formed from a closed cell foam. 
     
     
         8 . The arrester seal of  claim 1 , wherein the material of the gas permeable layer is selected, at least in part, to minimize the determinable airflow resistance. 
     
     
         9 . The arrester seal of  claim 1 , wherein the roofing section comprises one of:
 one or more tiles; and   a metal sheet comprising a stiffening rib.   
     
     
         10 . The arrester seal of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the roofing section comprises a first roofing section; and   the bottom surface is further formed to substantially contour to a transverse profile of an overlap between the first roofing section and a second roofing section.   
     
     
         11 . An arrester seal for venting a ribbed metal roof, the arrester seal comprising:
 a foundation layer comprising a sealing surface formed to substantially contour to a transverse profile of the ribbed metal roof, the foundation layer comprising a weep conduit;   an adhesive strip coupled to the sealing surface formed from an adhesive material configured to adhere to the surface of the ribbed metal roof; and   a gas permeable layer formed from a bonded-fiber matting and comprising:
 a bottom surface coupled to and extending across an entirety of an upper surface of the foundation layer, the bottom surface of the gas permeable layer formed to contour to the upper surface of the foundation layer; and 
 a top surface forming a substantially planar surface configured to contour to the underside of a ridge cap. 
   
     
     
         12 . The arrester seal of  claim 11 , wherein the foundation layer is formed from at least one of a polymeric material, a closed cell foam, an in-filled bonded-fiber matting, and a collapsed bonded-fiber matting. 
     
     
         13 . The arrester seal of  claim 11 , wherein the foundation layer further comprises a seal-finished edge. 
     
     
         14 . The arrester seal of  claim 11 , wherein the bonded-fiber matting is formed from polyester. 
     
     
         15 . The arrester seal of  claim 11 , wherein the a ribbed metal roof comprises a major rib and a minor rib and the sealing surface comprises:
 a major rib pocket configured to receive and contour to the major rib; and   a minor rib pocket configured to receive and contour to the minor rib.   
     
     
         16 . A method of sealing a ridge vent, the method comprising:
 removing a backing to expose an adhesive strip coupled to a sealing surface of an arrester seal;   positioning the arrester seal adjacent to a ridge termination of a roofing section;   orienting the arrester seal parallel to the ridge termination;   press-fitting the adhesive strip against an external surface of the roofing section;   fastening the arrester seal to the roofing section by driving a fastener through a gas permeable layer of the arrester seal, through the sealing surface of the arrester seal, and into the roofing section; and   positioning a ridge cap over the ridge termination such that the ridge cap at least partially rests on the gas permeable layer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the fastener is a first fastener and the method further comprises fastening the ridge cap to the roofing section by driving a second fastener through the ridge cap and through the gas permeable layer, through the sealing surface, and into the roofing section. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the backing is a first backing and the adhesive strip is a first adhesive strip and the method further comprises, prior to positioning the ridge cap over the ridge termination, removing a second backing to expose a second adhesive strip coupled to the gas permeable layer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising unspooling a portion of the arrester seal from a spool of arrester seal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising selecting a fastening point by locating a portion of the sealing surface that locally protrudes the farthest into the gas permeable layer, and thereafter, driving the fastener therethrough.