Shingle Inserts And Method For Eliminating And Preventing Growth OF Algae, Moss, Or Lichens On A Roof

• US 20140338284A1
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laurie Anne Spencer
• Original Assignee: Laurie Anne Spencer
• Inventors: Spencer, David, Spencer, Laurie Anne, Edgson, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,103,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/741.3
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 7/18 Special structures in or on roofs, e.g. dormer windows in connection with roof coverings E04D13/00, especially domes E04D13/03
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/002 Provisions for preventing vegetational growth, e.g. fungi, algae or moss
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 2001/308 for special purposes not otherwise provided for, e.g. turfing tiles, step tiles
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 7/005 characterised by loose or embedded gravel or granules as an outer protection of the roof covering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12361 having aperture or cut

Abstract

A shingle insert and method for eliminating and preventing growths on a shingled roof in which copper strips forming the inserts are installed with an upper edge disposed beneath a course of shingles with the remaining portions of the insert exposed. The insert strips have a confined space defined beneath a stiffening lengthwise extending arched hump formed in the exposed copper strip portions which has an array of elongated indentations formed therein with slits therein to allow slow drainage of water impounded by the arched hump through the inserts may contain a growth toxic material, in solid or granular form which releases a substance toxic to the growths when rainwater runoff passes into the confined space and over the material and thereafter flows out down the roof.

Claims

1. A shingle insert strip for the growths of algae, moss lichens, or fungus on roofs comprising:

an elongated generally planar strip of a sheet of metal such as copper which releases ions into rainwater runoffs flowing thereto having a lengthwise extending raised formed feature formed therein extending along the length of the strip of copper sheet, defining an impoundment which intercepts and impounds rainwater flowing down the roof, said raised defining an underspace and providing a stiffening reinforcement tending to minimize any bending of the insert strip;

said metal strip having openings allowing penetration through said strip of rainwater runoff from above into said strip and to thereafter flow out onto a roof surface below said strip;

said shingle insert strip having an upper portion above said raised formed feature adapted to be inserted and nailed beneath a shingle course above other portions of said shingle insert strip to position remaining portions of said strip to be exposed to receive rainwater runoff.

2. The insert strip according to claim 1 further including a roof growth control material held in said under space beneath said insert strip which material releases a substance into rain runoff entering said underspace, which material is toxic to such growths.

3. The shingle insert according to claim 1 wherein said upper portion of said strip is comprised of a strip of copper mesh affixed to said copper strip.

4. The shingle insert according to claim 1 wherein said strip is formed of copper with an array of shallow horizontal indentations including along said raised feature to temporarily capture rainwater runoff.

5. The shingle insert strip according to claim 3 wherein a copper mesh strip is attached to an undersurface of said copper sheet strip.

6. The shingle insert according to claim 4 wherein said copper strip indentations are shaped as narrow horizontally extending rectangles with narrow slits along upper and lower sides of said indentations.

7. The shingle insert according to claim 2 wherein said algaecide material is in granular form.

8. The shingle insert according to claim 6 wherein said algaecide material is a copper compound.

9. The shingle insert according to claim 1 wherein said strip is formed of copper and has a scalloped lower edge lying beyond said raised form feature exposed when installed on a shingled roof.

10. The shingle insert according to claim 2 further including a copper mesh strip extending into said underspace and has a lower side formed into a loop adapted to receive a rod of said growth control material.

11. The shingle insert strip according to claim 2 further including in combination a roofing strip attached to a shingled roof, said insert strip extending over said roofing strip with growth control material on a portion of said roofing strip with said raised formed feature covering the same.

12. A method of eliminating growths on shingled roofs comprising:

installing a series of shingle inserts of ion releasing metal such as copper on said roof, each insert having an upper portion disposed beneath the lower edge of shingles in a course of shingles so as to leave exposed a lengthwise raised feature formed in a lower portion of said shingle insert to stiffen said strip and create an impoundment of rainwater, and forming indentations in each insert to hold rainwater with slits therein to allow captured rainwater to slowly drain through said indentations.

13. The method according to claim 12 further including loading a material into a space defined beneath said raised formed feature which releases a substance toxic to said growths when rainwater runoff flow passes into and out of said space after passing over or through said material;

and

confining said material in said space.

14. The method according to claim 12 including installing roofing strips beneath said copper insert strips and having a band of growth control material affixed to an area of said roofing strip, and locating said roofing strip beneath said raised formed feature.