Roofing blister repair devices and methods

Abstract

In a method of repairing a blistered portion of a thermosoftening membrane, a heated air dispensing device is provided, having an elongated nozzle including at least one outlet aperture. The blistered portion of the thermosoftening membrane is pierced to form an opening sized to receive the elongated nozzle. The elongated nozzle is inserted through the opening and into an interior cavity of the blistered portion, with the interior cavity being at least partially defined by a thermosoftening material. The heated air dispensing device is operated to dispense heated air through the at least one outlet aperture into the interior cavity of the blistered portion to at least partially melt the thermosoftening material. A force is applied to an exterior surface of the blistered portion to flatten the blistered portion, thereby substantially eliminating the interior cavity.

1 . A method of repairing a blistered portion of a membrane, the method comprising:
 providing a heated air dispensing device having an elongated nozzle including at least one outlet aperture;   piercing the blistered portion of the membrane to form an opening sized to receive the elongated nozzle;   inserting the elongated nozzle through the opening and into an interior cavity of the blistered portion, the interior cavity being at least partially defined by a thermosoftening material;   applying heated air through the at least one outlet aperture to the interior cavity of the blistered portion to at least partially melt the thermosoftening material; and   applying a force to an exterior surface of the blistered portion to flatten the blistered portion, thereby substantially eliminating the interior cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated nozzle includes a neck portion extending along an insertion axis to an end portion defining the at least one outlet aperture, wherein inserting the elongated nozzle through the opening comprises inserting the neck portion through the membrane along the insertion axis. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising orienting the at least one outlet aperture of the inserted elongated nozzle substantially horizontally, such that the heated air is directed substantially horizontally between opposed upper and lower interior surfaces of the interior cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying heated air through the at least one outlet aperture comprises applying air at a temperature of at least about 500° F., or up to about 900° F. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying heated air through the at least one outlet aperture comprises applying air at a pressure of about 1 psig. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sealing the opening after applying the force to the exterior surface of the blistered portion to flatten the blistered portion. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein sealing the opening comprises pressing the opening against a portion of the at least partially melted thermosoftening material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein sealing the opening comprises applying a sealant to the opening. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying heated air through the at least one outlet aperture to the interior cavity of the blistered portion comprises moving the elongated nozzle to position the at least one outlet aperture at a plurality of edge positions of the interior cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermosoftening material comprises a bituminous material. 
     
     
         11 . A method of repairing a blistered portion of a membrane, the method comprising:
 providing a glue dispensing device having an elongated nozzle including at least one outlet aperture;   piercing the blistered portion of the membrane to form an opening sized to receive the elongated nozzle;   inserting the elongated nozzle through the opening and into an interior cavity of the blistered portion;   applying glue through the at least one outlet aperture to the interior cavity of the blistered portion; and   applying a force to an exterior surface of the blistered portion to flatten the blistered portion, to adhere opposed upper and lower interior surfaces of the interior cavity together with the glue, thereby substantially eliminating the interior cavity.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein applying the glue through the at least one outlet aperture comprises applying glue at a temperature between about 400° F. and about 450° F. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein applying glue through the at least one outlet aperture comprises heating the glue as the glue passes through the elongated nozzle. 
     
     
         14 . A fluid dispensing device comprising:
 a housing;   a fluid pumping mechanism disposed in the housing;   a fluid heating mechanism positioned to heat fluid pumped through the fluid pumping mechanism;   an elongated nozzle in fluid communication with the fluid pumping mechanism and including a neck portion extending along an insertion axis to an end portion having a pair of opposed laterally oriented apertures for directing heated fluid laterally outward from the insertion axis.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid pumping mechanism comprises one of an air pumping mechanism and a glue pumping mechanism, and the fluid heating mechanism comprises a corresponding one of an air heating mechanism and a glue heating mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the end portion of the elongated nozzle includes a pointed tip for puncturing a membrane and inserting the neck portion through the membrane along the insertion axis. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the pointed tip is conical. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the pair of opposed laterally oriented apertures are angled for directing heated air laterally outward and axially forward with respect to the insertion axis. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the pair of opposed laterally oriented apertures are disposed on the pointed tip. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the pair of opposed laterally oriented apertures are disposed on a cylindrical portion of the end portion of the elongated nozzle.