GB2131845A - Ventilating roofs - Google Patents

Abstract

Elongate spacer 5 is disposed at the eaves between fascia board 1 and the roof covering, e.g. tiles 4. Spacer member 5 has apertures 6 which permit the flow of air into the roof space. Also provided may be an anti- ponding member 8 which supports the edge portion of the roofing felt 11 and which includes an outwardly projecting portion 12 terminating above a gutter 13. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roofing systems This invention relates to roofing systems.

In any roofing system it is important that the roof covering is adequately supported along the bottom or eaves of the roof and to this end it is conventional to provide a fascia board or the like along the eaves, covering the end of the roof rafters and upon which the roof covering rests.

For example, in the case of a pitched roof having overlapping rows of roof tiles of slates, a fascia board supports the trailing edges of the lowermost row of tiles. A packing batten may be provided between the board and the tiles.

Typically, the trailing edges of the tiles and an underlying layer of roofing felt both overhang the fascia board to some extent so as to terminate above a gutter secured externally to the fascia board which collects any water running from the roof. This ensures adequate weathering. The tiles are generally tightly clamped to the upper surface of the fascia board, with the roofing felt sandwiched therebetween, by means of suitable clips which are e.g. nailed to the fascia board.

However, it is important in any roofing system that the roof space is adequately ventilated so as to reduce the effect of condensation which can cause premature deterioration of rafters and other roof components.

In the case of conventional roofing systems the flow of air to the roof space at the edges or eaves of the roof is restricted and adequate ventilation often is not achieved. Accordingly various systems have been devised to increase the ventilation at the eaves of a buildling, although none of these adapts to an existing roof without the need for extensive and expensive structural alteration.

According to the invention there is provided a roofing system having a fascia board or the like underlying and providing support for the roof covering at the eaves of the roof, and a spacer member or members disposed between the fascia board and the roof covering defining a plurality of openings permitting the flow of air from outside the roof to the interior of the roof space.

It will be seen that with a roof system in accordance with the invention, ventilation of the roof space at the eaves is increased. Moreover, an existing conventional roof may be conveniently modified in accordance with the invention during refurbishment to increase ventilation without the need for expensive structural alterations. The spacer can replace a conventional packing batten.

It is envisaged that the form of the spacer member may vary. For example, it might be in the form of an elongate corrugated strip. In this case the valleys of the corrugations might be nailed directly to the top of the fascia board, while the peaks support the roof covering. In the presently preferred embodiment, however the spacer member is in the form of an elongate member having a generally U-shaped cross-section with an apertured base portion with two side portions extending substantially perpendicularly thereto.

The side portions may conveniently be provided with fixing slots whereby the member may be secured to the fascia board, for example by nailing. The roof covering may conveniently be secured by means of nails extending through slots in both side portions of the spacing member and into the fascia board.

It will be appreciated that the invention is applicable to a wide range of roof coverings, for example tiles, slates or weathered boards. As mentioned above in the case of a pitched roof comprising a plurality of overlapping tiles, in order to achieve adequate weathering a layer of underlying roofing felt generally extends beneath the trailing edges of the tiles beyond the fascia board. However, problems have been encountered in that the roofing felt tends to sag immediately behind the fascia board and this may result in the formation of a water trap and can cause so-called "ponding" of any water which has seeped beneath the roof tiles.

Advantageously, therefore, the roofing system of the present invention further comprises an elongate anti-ponding member secured along and extending inwardly from the top of the spacer member which serves to support an edge portion of the roofing felt beneath the roof tiles. The antiponding member prevents sagging of the roofing felt.

The anti-ponding member preferably includes a portion extending outwardly and downwardly from the spacer member over which water may flow into an underlying gutter. In this way, the roofing felt need not overhand the edge of the fascia board and instead may terminate on top of the anti-ponding strip within the roof space. This prevents the felt being deteriorated by water in the gutter.

The inside edge of the anti-ponding member is preferably provided with an upwardly directad flange which prevents water seeping back by capillary flow between the antiponding member and the roofing felt into the roof space.

The anti-ponding member may conventionally be secured to the spacer member by means of two juxtaposed elongate slots thereof which define a channel adapted to slide over an upper portion of the spacer member. In a preferred embodiment, the anti-ponding member includes an elongate downwardly facing channel adapted to receive the lower portion of a wire tile clip.

Thus, the tiles may be damped to the antiponding member and thereby to the spacer member without the use of nails.

An embodiment ot the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spacer member for a roofing system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the eaves portion of a roofing system in accordance with the invention.

Referring then to the drawings, at the eaves of a roofing system a fascia board 1 is secured to the rafters 2 and serves to support the end portions 3 of the lowermost row of roof tiles 4. Nailed to the top of the fascia board 1 is an elongate spacer member 5. As shown in Figure 1, the spacer member 5, is preferably formed from aluminium, is generally U-shaped in cross-section and its base portion is provided with a plurality of rectangular apertures 6.

Fixing slots 7 are provided in the side portions of the spacer member through which the securing nails may pass.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, an anti-ponding member 8, which may be formed from a suitable plastics material, is mounted to the top of the spacer member 5 by means of two juxtaposed slots 9, 10 defining a channel which matingly engages with the upper portion of the spacer member 5. The anti-ponding member 8 extends inwardly beneath the tiles and serves to support the edge portion of the underlying roofing felt 1 The anti-ponding member further comprises an outwardly and downwardly extending portion 12 which terminates above a gutter 13 mounted by conventional means to the fasica board 1. Thus, any water collected on the roofing felt 11 runs over the anti-ponding member 8 and into the gutter 13.

A small flange in the form of turned over portion 1 8 is provided along the inner edge of the anti-ponding member 8 to prevent water seeping back by capillary action between the member 8 and the felt 11 into the roof space.

Each tile 4 may be secured to the anti-ponding member 8 by means of a wire tile clip 14 for example of the general type described in copending patent application number 8120924.

An upper part 15 of the clip 14 engages over an edge portion of the tile, while a lower part 1 6 is located in a downwardly facing channel 1 7 of the anti-ponding member 8. Thus, the tiles may be easily removed and replaced without the need for nailing. The upper fixing apertures in the spacer are covered by the anti-ponding member and thus weathering is improved. The upper fixing apertures in the spacer could be omitted altogether in such an arrangement or any other arrangement in which the tiles can be secured without nailing through the spacer.

As shown by the arrows in Figure 2, air may flow freely both below and, by virtue of the portion 12 of the anti-ponding member being spaced from the gutter, above the gutter 13, through the apertures 6 in the spacer member 5 and thereby to beneath the roof thus improving the ventilation to the roof space.

It will be appreciated that the anti-ponding member 8 may optionally be omitted and instead the edge of the roofing felt 11 extends over and overhangs the spacer member so as to termiante in or immediately above the gutter 13. In this case the tiles and roofing felt may be secured to the spacer member by means of relatively long nails which pass through the slots in both the upper and lower side portions of the spacer member and into the fascia board.

Claims (Filed on 3 March 1983) 1. A roofing system having a fascia board or the like underlying and providing support for the roof covering at the eaves of the roof, and a spacer member or members disposed between the fascia board and the roof covering defining a plurality of openings permitting the flow of air from outside the roof to the interior of the roof space.

2. A roofing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spacer member is in the form of an elongate member having a generally U-shaped cross-section with an apertured base portion with two side portions extending substantially perpendicularly thereto.

3. A roofing system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said side portions are provided with fixing apertures through which securing means for the spacer member extend.

4. A roofing system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 further comprising an elongate antiponding member or members secured to and extending inwardly from an upper portion of the spacer member and effective to support an edge portion of roofing felt disposed beneath the roof covering.

5. A roofing system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the anti-ponding member includes a portion extending outwardly and downwardly from the upper portion of the spacer member.

6. A roofing system as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the inside edge of the anti-ponding member is provided with an upwardly directed flange.

7. A roofing system as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 wherein the anti-ponding member is secured to the spacer member by means of two juxtaposed elongate slots thereof which define a channel adapted to slide over an upper portion of the spacer member 8. A roofing system as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 whernir the anti-ponding member includes an elongate downwardly facing channel adapted to receive the lower portion of a wire tile clip.

9. A roofing system substantially as herein described with reference to the acc zmpanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. rafters 2 and serves to support the end portions 3 of the lowermost row of roof tiles 4. Nailed to the top of the fascia board 1 is an elongate spacer member 5. As shown in Figure 1, the spacer member 5, is preferably formed from aluminium, is generally U-shaped in cross-section and its base portion is provided with a plurality of rectangular apertures 6. Fixing slots 7 are provided in the side portions of the spacer member through which the securing nails may pass. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, an anti-ponding member 8, which may be formed from a suitable plastics material, is mounted to the top of the spacer member 5 by means of two juxtaposed slots 9, 10 defining a channel which matingly engages with the upper portion of the spacer member 5. The anti-ponding member 8 extends inwardly beneath the tiles and serves to support the edge portion of the underlying roofing felt 1 The anti-ponding member further comprises an outwardly and downwardly extending portion 12 which terminates above a gutter 13 mounted by conventional means to the fasica board 1. Thus, any water collected on the roofing felt 11 runs over the anti-ponding member 8 and into the gutter 13. A small flange in the form of turned over portion 1 8 is provided along the inner edge of the anti-ponding member 8 to prevent water seeping back by capillary action between the member 8 and the felt 11 into the roof space. Each tile 4 may be secured to the anti-ponding member 8 by means of a wire tile clip 14 for example of the general type described in copending patent application number 8120924. An upper part 15 of the clip 14 engages over an edge portion of the tile, while a lower part 1 6 is located in a downwardly facing channel 1 7 of the anti-ponding member 8. Thus, the tiles may be easily removed and replaced without the need for nailing. The upper fixing apertures in the spacer are covered by the anti-ponding member and thus weathering is improved. The upper fixing apertures in the spacer could be omitted altogether in such an arrangement or any other arrangement in which the tiles can be secured without nailing through the spacer. As shown by the arrows in Figure 2, air may flow freely both below and, by virtue of the portion 12 of the anti-ponding member being spaced from the gutter, above the gutter 13, through the apertures 6 in the spacer member 5 and thereby to beneath the roof thus improving the ventilation to the roof space. It will be appreciated that the anti-ponding member 8 may optionally be omitted and instead the edge of the roofing felt 11 extends over and overhangs the spacer member so as to termiante in or immediately above the gutter 13. In this case the tiles and roofing felt may be secured to the spacer member by means of relatively long nails which pass through the slots in both the upper and lower side portions of the spacer member and into the fascia board. Claims (Filed on 3 March 1983)

1. A roofing system having a fascia board or the like underlying and providing support for the roof covering at the eaves of the roof, and a spacer member or members disposed between the fascia board and the roof covering defining a plurality of openings permitting the flow of air from outside the roof to the interior of the roof space.

2. A roofing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spacer member is in the form of an elongate member having a generally U-shaped cross-section with an apertured base portion with two side portions extending substantially perpendicularly thereto.

3. A roofing system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said side portions are provided with fixing apertures through which securing means for the spacer member extend.

4. A roofing system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 further comprising an elongate antiponding member or members secured to and extending inwardly from an upper portion of the spacer member and effective to support an edge portion of roofing felt disposed beneath the roof covering.

5. A roofing system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the anti-ponding member includes a portion extending outwardly and downwardly from the upper portion of the spacer member.

6. A roofing system as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the inside edge of the anti-ponding member is provided with an upwardly directed flange.

7. A roofing system as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 wherein the anti-ponding member is secured to the spacer member by means of two juxtaposed elongate slots thereof which define a channel adapted to slide over an upper portion of the spacer member

8. A roofing system as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 whernir the anti-ponding member includes an elongate downwardly facing channel adapted to receive the lower portion of a wire tile clip.

9. A roofing system substantially as herein described with reference to the acc zmpanying drawings.