Powered ridge ventilation system and method

• US 20070213003A1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Building Materials Investment Corporation (Standard Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Building Materials Investment Corporation (Standard Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zarate, Walter, Chich, Adem, Railkar, Sudhir
• Application Number:
  US11/371,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20070213003A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/365
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/174 on the ridge of the roof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/025 with forced air circulation by means of a built-in ventilator

Abstract

There is provided a ridge ventilation system that comprises a ridge slot disposed longitudinally in a ridge of a roof and a fan disposed in the ridge slot for actively exhausting air from an attic substantially enclosed by the roof, sidewalls and ceiling into the ambient atmosphere. There is further provided a method for ventilating that comprises disposing a ridge slot longitudinally in a ridge of the roof and operating a fan disposed in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic into the ambient atmosphere. Lastly, there is provided a method for installing the ridge ventilation system that comprises constructing a ridge slot longitudinally disposed in a ridge of the roof and disposing a fan in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic into the ambient atmosphere.

Claims

1. A ridge ventilation system comprising:

a ridge slot disposed longitudinally in a ridge of a roof; and

a fan disposed in the ridge slot for actively exhausting air from an attic substantially enclosed by the roof, sidewalls and a ceiling into the ambient atmosphere.

2. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan disposed in the ridge slot longitudinally along the ridge of the roof.

3. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the fan is an axial fan disposed in the ridge slot perpendicularly to the ridge of the roof.

4. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the fan is connected to an electrical power source.

5. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the fan is connected to a solar power source.

6. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the switch is an automatic switch or a manual switch.

7. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor enabled for signaling the fan when to start operating and when to stop operating.

8. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 7, wherein the sensor is one selected from the group consisting of:

a temperature sensor;

a pressure sensor;

a moisture sensor; and

light sensor.

9. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, further comprising a switch for signaling the fan when to start operating and when to stop operating.

10. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, further comprising a fan housing for housing the fan in the ridge slot.

11. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 10, further comprising a roof ridge vent disposed over the ridge slot and overlapping the roof adjacent to the ridge slot.

12. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 11, wherein the fan is disposed in the ridge slot from about one inch to about twelve inches below the roof ridge vent.

13. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 11, wherein the roof ridge vent comprises a plurality of vent slots for actively exhausting the air from the attic.

14. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 11, wherein the roof ridge vent comprises a plurality of external baffles for controlling flow of precipitation incident on the roof ridge vent.

15. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 11, wherein the roof ridge vent comprises a plurality of internal baffles for controlling flow of precipitation incident on the roof ridge vent.

16. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 10, further comprising an inlet fan guard disposed on the fan housing.

17. A method for ventilating an attic substantially enclosed by a roof, sidewalls and a ceiling, the method comprising:

disposing a ridge slot longitudinally in a ridge of the roof; and

operating a fan disposed in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic into the ambient atmosphere.

18. The method for ventilating according to claim 17, further signaling the fan when to start operating and when to stop operating.

19. A method for installing a ridge ventilation system for ventilating an attic substantially enclosed by a roof, sidewalls and a ceiling, the method comprising:

constructing a ridge slot longitudinally disposed in a ridge of the roof; and

disposing a fan in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic into the ambient atmosphere.

20. The method for installing a ridge ventilation system according to claim 19, further comprising securing a roof ridge vent over the ridge slot and overlapping portions of the roof adjacent to the ridge slot.