Ridge vent screen system

Abstract

A ridge vent system includes a screen layer positioned between an underlayment layer and a ridge vent cap. The screen layer includes a screen material positioned between sections of a second material and aligned over the ridge to enable air flow. The screen material is aligned over an underlayment slot and has a first side edge and a second side edge, the second material has a first section attached to the first side edge and a second section attached to the second side edge. The screen material may be heat welded to the second material. A layer of shingles may be positioned underneath the ridge vent cap, with the layer of shingles positioned to enable air flow through the ridge vent and vent cap. The screen material may further be coated with a durable coating such as a durable water repellent.

1 . A ridge vent screen system comprising:
 roof sheathing forming a ridge, and a slot defined in the ridge to form a ridge vent in the roof sheathing to enable air to flow through the ridge vent;   an underlayment layer positioned on the roof sheathing, the underlayment layer defining an underlayment slot in the underlayment layer, the underlayment slot having a first side and a second side, the underlayment layer slot at least partially aligned over the ridge vent in the roof sheathing;   a treated screen layer positioned on the underlayment layer, the treated screen layer including screen material and a second material, the screen material aligned at least partially over the underlayment slot and having a first side edge and a second side edge, the second material having a first section and a second section, the first section attached to the first side edge of the screen material and extending over the underlayment on one side of the underlayment slot, the second section attached to the second side edge and extending over the underlayment on the other side of the underlayment slot, wherein at least a portion of the screen material is treated with a durability coating, the at least a portion of the screen material aligned over the underlayment slot; and   a vent cap at least partially aligned over the mesh material of the screen layer.   
     
     
         2 . The ridge vent system of  claim 1  wherein a layer of shingles is positioned between the screen layer and the vent cap, the layer of shingles positioned to enable air flow through the ridge vent and vent cap. 
     
     
         3 . The ridge vent system of  claim 1  wherein the durability coating is applied only to the screen material. 
     
     
         4 . The ridge vent system of  claim 3  wherein the durability coating is a water repellent applied to the screen material while maintaining porosity in the mesh material and thereby maintaining air flow through the screen material. 
     
     
         5 . The ridge vent system of  claim 4  wherein the screen material is heat welded to the first and second sections of non-porous material. 
     
     
         6 . The ridge vent system of  claim 5  wherein the durability coating is at least one of a fluorine-free water based repellent, a siloxane coating, a wax coating, and a fluoropolymer coating. 
     
     
         7 . A ridge vent screen system comprising:
 roof sheathing forming a ridge, and a slot defined in the ridge to form a ridge vent in the roof sheathing to enable air to flow through the ridge vent;   an underlayment layer positioned on the roof sheathing, the underlayment layer defining an underlayment slot in the underlayment layer, the underlayment slot having a first side and a second side, the underlayment layer slot at least partially aligned over the ridge vent in the roof sheathing;   a screen layer positioned on the underlayment layer, the screen layer including screen material and a second material, the screen material formed from a porous mesh aligned at least partially over the underlayment slot and having a first side edge and a second side edge, the second material having a first section and a second section, the first section attached to the first side edge of the screen material and extending over the underlayment on one side of the underlayment slot, the second section attached to the second side edge and extending over the underlayment on the other side of the underlayment slot, wherein the screen material and the second material are each formed from a thermoplastic, and wherein the screen material is coated with a durable water repellent; and   a vent cap at least partially aligned over the mesh material of the screen layer.   
     
     
         8 . The ridge vent screen system of  claim 7  wherein the first side edge of the screen material is heat welded to the first section of second material and the second side edge of the screen material is head welded to the second section of second material. 
     
     
         9 . The ridge vent screen system of  claim 8  wherein the screen mesh material is a PVC fiberglass screen and the durable water repellent is at least one of a fluorine-free water based repellent, a siloxane coating, a wax coating, and a fluoropolymer coating. 
     
     
         10 . The ridge vent screen system of  claim 9  wherein the second material is a PVC fabric. 
     
     
         11 . The ridge vent screen system of  claim 10  wherein the durable water repellent coated screen material remains porous with the application of the coating. 
     
     
         12 . The ridge vent screen system of  claim 11  wherein the roof sheathing slot is a continuous slot extending along the ridge. 
     
     
         13 . The ridge vent screen system of  claim 12  wherein the underlayment slot is a continuous slot aligned over the roof sheathing slot. 
     
     
         14 . The ridge vent screen system of  claim 13  wherein the screen material is further treated with a fire retardant. 
     
     
         15 . A method for installing a ridge vent screen system comprising the steps of:
 providing a roof support structure having a ridge;   attaching a sheathing layer over the roof support structure;   forming a sheathing slot in the sheathing layer, the sheathing slot aligned with the ridge;   placing an underlayment layer over the sheathing layer   forming an underlayment slot in the underlayment layer, the underlayment slot in alignment with the sheathing slot;   providing a screen layer having a porous screen material attached to a non-porous second material;   coating at least a portion of the porous screen material with a durable coating that maintains the porosity of the material;   positioning the screen layer over the underlayment layer with the coated portion of the porous screen material in alignment with the underlayment slot; and   attaching a ridge vent cap over the mesh screen layer.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of providing the screen layer includes providing a thermoplastic porous screen material and a thermoplastic non-porous second material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of providing the screen layer includes attaching a first side edge of the porous screen material to a first section of non-porous second material with heat welding. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the porous screen material is a PVC fiberglass screen. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the non-porous second material is a PVC fabric. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the durable coating is a durable water repellent formed from at least one of a fluorine-free water based repellent, a siloxane coating, a wax coating, and a fluoropolymer coating.