GB2296934A - Damage prevention from roof leakage - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for temporarily repairing a leaking roof comprises suspending from the rafters, within the roof space, a collector 18 for leaking rainwater. The collector has an outlet 24 to which is connected a flexible pipe 25 leading to a rigid pipe 26, which may be pushed between a wall and the roof, to direct collected water into the roof gutter. Spring clips 21 may be connected where required to the rafters 19, 20 and the collector 18 is suspended from bars 22 extending between aligned pairs of clips. Alternatively, elastic suspension cords having hooks at their ends may be provided to suspend the collector beneath a leak.

Description

DAMAGE PREVENTION FROM ROOF LEAKAGE This invention relates to a method of temporarily preventing water damage to a building consequent upon a leaking roof. The invention further relates to apparatus for use in such a method.

Relatively minor damage to a roof can allow water to enter the roof space of a building, and from there the water can cause most serious damage internally of the building. It may take only a small amount of water to collect on the ceiling of a room immediately below the roof space to damage the ceiling to such an extent that the entire ceiling has to be replaced. Though in itself that is not a particularly difficult job, in terms of the mess and disruption to normal use of the building, such a repair can be highly significant and inconvenient.

If the damage to a roof is caused by exceptional weather conditions, when there is likely to be relatively large amounts of rain, it can be extremely difficult to effect a temporary repair to a roof in order to prevent the ingress of water into the roof space. Almost no matter how serious the damage to the roof, no roofer would be willing to go on to a roof in storm conditions, to effect a temporary repair and prevent water entering the roof space. By the time a roofer is able safely to gain access to the roof in order to effect either a temporary or even a permanent repair, significant damage may by then already have been caused internally of the building.

The present invention aims at addressing the above problem, by providing both a method of and apparatus for effecting a temporary repair to a roof, from within the roof space, in an attempt to minimise the likelihood of water damage to the interior of a building.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of temporarily preventing water damage to a building consequent upon a leaking roof, comprising suspending from the roof timbers in the region of the leak an open-topped collector such that the mouth to the collector is below the leak, and leading to a suitable drain a pipe connected to a lower part of the collector, whereby water leaking through the roof collects in the collector and from there is automatically discharged to said drain.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for use in a method of temporarily preventing water damage to a building consequent upon a leaking roof, which apparatus comprises a container-like water collector, the upper part of the collector defining an open mouth and the collector having a liquid outlet in a lower part thereof, a plurality of clips each of which may be connected to a roof timber, suspension means to suspend the collector from the clips such that the collector mouth is below the leak in the roof, and a pipe connected to the liquid outlet for taking collected water away from the collector.

In the present Specification, the term "leak" is intended to extend to any ingress of water through a damaged roof, howsoever caused, so long as the basic underlying structure of the roof timbers remains at least mostly intact. Thus, the kind of leak which may be tackled by the method and apparatus of the present invention could range from just a broken tile together with damage to any underlying building paper or like membrane, to a significant area of the roof being stripped of roofing tiles.

Using apparatus of this invention, to perform a method also of this invention, it will be appreciated that a leak in a roof may be tackled purely from within the roof space. There is no need to gain access to the exterior of the roof and so the temporary repair can be effected even under the most inclement conditions.

There is no reason why the temporary repair cannot be left in place for days or even longer, until it is both convenient and practical to effect a more permanent repair, whereafter the apparatus may be removed for subsequent re-use elsewhere.

Particularly where a relatively minor leak is to be repaired, the collector may take the form of a substantially rigid open-topped container, for example moulded of a plastics material. Such a container may have a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape.

However, since the collector must easily be transportable and moreover taken through a loft access hatch, it is preferred for the collector to be in the form of a container constructed at least in part from a flexible material. For example, the collector may have a generally bag-like shape again of a generally rectangular cross-section, but collapsible down into a relatively small package whereby the container may easily be taken through even a small loft access hatch.

Such a container may be made from a plastics material or from a waterproofed textile material such as a tarpaulin.

In one particular form of collector, a substantially rigid rectangular base is provided, from which upstand four walls joined along adjacent edges, the walls being made of a flexible material. The upper edges of two opposed side walls may lie at an acute angle to the base, typically within the range of 300 to 450 to the base, so that the base will be more or less horizontal when the upper edges of those side walls lie closely adjacent the roof timbers of a wide variety of pitched roofs.

The clips may take any convenient form, so long as the clips may easily and quickly be connected to the timbers of a typical roof. For example, screw-threaded clamps could be employed, somewhat similar to conventional G-clamps. However, a preferred form of clip has a pair of opposed jaws between which a roof timber may be located and gripped, the jaws of each clip being spring-urged together. Thus, each clip may take the form of a generally U-shaped strip of spring metal such as steel. In this case, it is preferred for each jaw to be provided with means to increase its grip on a roof timber against which the jaw is pressed; to this end, each jaw may have for example a plurality of inwardly-directed barbs suitably directed to resist the withdrawal of the clip from a roof timber once the clip has been pressed thereonto.An alternative form of clip comprises a spring hook intended to be used in pairs with an elastically extensible member therebetween, so that the two hooks may respectively be connected to two spaced apart rafters. Each such hook may comprise a length of suitably shaped rod or strip material the ends of which are pointed to facilitate connection to the rafters.

In one particularly preferred form of the apparatus of this invention, there is provided an elongate suspension member which carries a pair of clamps the spacing between which along the length of the member may be adjusted, the collector being suspended from the suspension member. In practice, two, three or even more such suspension members may be provided each having a pair of clamps and the collector being suspended from each of those suspension members.

Conveniently, there is provided a plurality of openings in the collector around the mouth thereto, whereby the collector may be suspended from said openings to lie below a leak in a roof. The (or each) elongate suspension member may comprise a substantially rigid rod, for example of steel, and in that case the rod may extend through a pair of opposed openings in the collector. In an alternative arrangement, where the collector is in the form of a bag of a flexible material, loops may be provided on the bag, through which loops the rods extend.

The pipe connected to the lower part of the collector should be taken to any suitable point where water may discharge from the end of the pipe without causing damage. To this end, the pipe preferably comprises a flexible hose pipe which may be led externally of the roof, for example to drain into a gutter. In the alternative, the pipe may be led down through the roof access hatch to a drain within the building - for example, to a sink or to a WC.

In the case of a roof which has suffered serious damage by losing a number of tiles, it is likely that at least a part of one rafter will be exposed to the elements. If such a leak is to be tackled by the apparatus of the present invention, it is preferred for means to be fitted to the or each such exposed rafter to prevent water running down the rafter beyond the area covered by the mouth of the collector, thereby to cause any such water running down the rafter to be diverted into the collector. To this end, a clip may be fitted around a rafter which clip effects a substantial seal to the rafter and directs any water flowing down the rafter on to a lip formed on the clip, from which lip the water may drip or run into the collector.

It is also possible that water leaking through a roof may run down a wall within the roof-space, such as a chimney breast, from whence the water may enter the main part of a building and do significant damage. In such a case, a further aspect of this invention contemplates the attachment of a water collector direct to the wall, in the path of the downwardly-running water, which water collector includes an outlet arrangement to direct the water away from the wall, to a safe disposal site.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of a method and apparatus of the present invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a part view of a damaged roof together with temporary apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention fitted to the damaged part; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic end view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are respectively side and plan views of the collector employed in the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2; Figures 5 and 6 are respectively side and end views of a clamp used to suspend the collector from the roof rafters; Figures 7 and 8 are respectively side and end views of a rafter drip clip;; Figures 9A, 9B and 9C are respectively front, side and cross-sectional views of a wall water collector, for use with the apparatus of Figures 1 to 4; and Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of an alternative suspension arrangement for a collector.

Referring initially to Figure 1, there is shown a part of a roof space 10 of a building including a cavity wall 11 having a wall plate 12 at the top therefor. The roof is constructed from joists 13 and rafters 14, the rafters typically having a layer of building paper (not shown) thereover, with tile battens 15 nailed to the rafters. The battens support rows of tiles 16, but in the roof shown in Figure 1, at least some tiles from two rows are missing, as shown at 17.

Such damage to a roof may be caused for example by severe weather conditions, and the roof would thereafter leak, until such time as both any damaged building paper and the missing tiles can be replaced.

In Figures 1 and 2, there is shown apparatus arranged to prevent any significant damage to the building consequent upon water leaking into the roof space 10, through the area 17 having missing tiles.

This apparatus comprises a collector 18 suspended from two rafters 19 and 20 by means of spring metal clamps 21 (Figures 5 and 6) arranged in pairs and between each pair of which extends a respective steel rod 22, the rod passing through loops 23 formed at the upper and lower edges of the mouth to the collector 18. A drain outlet 24 is formed in the bottom of the collector 18, a flexible hose 25 being connected to the drain outlet 24. A filter (not shown) may be fitted within the collector 18, over the outlet 24. The end of the flexible hose remote from the outlet 24 is located within a rigid guide pipe 26, which may be used to push through a gap in the tiles or slates, or to punch through building paper or other roofing membrane. As shown in Figure 1, the pipe 26 has been used to locate the hose 25 above a gutter 27 of the roof, from within the roof space.To achieve this, the pipe 26 has lifted the lowermost tile 28 to an extent sufficient to allow the pipe to take up the position shown in Figure 1. Conveniently, the flexible hose is made up from a number of hose sections joined together to ensure the shortest possible run from the collector to the point of drainage.

Figures 3 and 4 show in more detail the collector 18. This is fabricated from a waterproofed textile material such as a tarpaulin so as to have a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape, though the collector may be collapsed down to a relatively small package to permit its easy transport and also to permit it to be taken into a roof space through a roof access hatch.

The collector is provided with a substantially rigid base plate 30, in which is fitted the drain outlet 24.

The upper edges of the sides 31 of the collector are formed with the openings 32, which openings are preferably reinforced by eyelets fitted thereto. At the upper edges of the end walls 34 and 35 of the collector 18, there are formed the loops 23. In order to permit the suspension of the collector 18, the rods 22 may extend either through the loops 23 (as shown in figure 1), or through the openings 32, as may be convenient having regard to the particular site at which the collector 18 has to be located.

Alternatively, it might be necessary to nail or even tie the collector to the rafters, especially with an older roof where irregular and mis-shapen timbers have been used. Then, the openings 32 may be employed to receive strings or the like suspension members.

Figures 5 and 6 show in greater detail the clamps 21 used to connect the rods 22 to the rafters. Each clamp comprises a generally U-shaped spring metal strip, preferably galvanised for corrosion-resistance, the free ends of the side limbs (or jaws) 36 being profiled as shown to facilitate the pressing of the clamp on to a rafter. Each side limb 36 is formed with inwardly directed teeth 37, directed so as to resist withdrawal of the clamp from a rafter, once pressfitted thereto. Adjacent the base 38 of a clamp there is formed an opening 39 through each side limb 36, through which openings the rod 22 extends.

It will be appreciated that as a part of a rafter is exposed to the elements, as shown in Figure 1, rainwater is likely to collect on that rafter and run down it into the roof space, notwithstanding the presence of the collector 18. To prevent the rainwater running beyond the area covered by the mouth of the collector, at least one drip clip 41 is fitted to the rafter, that drip clip being shown in greater detail in Figures 7 and 8. The drip clip has a generally similar profile to the clamp of Figures 5 and 6, but in the case of the drip clip 41, no teeth 37 are formed to engage the rafter; instead, a strip 42 of a resilient material is fitted to the inside of the clip, so as to effect a partial seal to the rafter. The base 43 of the clip has a lip 44 bent downwardly therefrom, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.The width across the base of the drip clip 41 should be selected so as to be suitable for the rafter to which the clip is to be fitted. Most modern roofs use rafters of 38mm or 50mm thickness and so by providing two clips with appropriate base dimensions, most roofs can be protected by selection of a suitable drip clip.

Figures 9A, 9B and 9C show a wall water collector, for use with the apparatus described above, in a case where water leaking into a roof is running down a wall such as a chimney breast. This collector comprises an extruded section 50 including two supports 51, for contacting a wall. A bead of sealant 52 is provided between the upper support 51 and the wall to effect a water-tight seal to the wall, the section 50 being secured to the wall by means of masonry nails 53 passing through slots in the section. The section is generally of L-shape with the limbs 54 and 55 of an appropriate length for the water leakage to be collected and need not necessarily be of the unequal length shown in Figure 9A. At the junction between the two limbs, there is formed a spout 56 projecting away from the wall and out of which will run water collected by the section 50 nailed to a wall.

The water from the section may be directed into a collector 18 suspended suitably such that the water will run thereinto. If for any reason constraints on access prevent the use of such a collector 18, then as a temporary measure it would be possible to use some other device for collecting the water, such as a bucket which then will periodically have to be emptied.

Figure 10 illustrates an alternative suspension arrangement to that illustrated in Figure 2. Here, the collector 18 is suspended from two elongate elastically extensible cords 60 passing through loops 23 formed in the collector, each cord 60 having a respective hook 61 attached to its ends. Each hook 61 is formed from a steel rod appropriately shaped to form two hook parts and having its ends pointed so that the hook may engage a rafter and be maintained connected thereto by a force applied to the hook by tension in the respective cord 60. In other respects, the apparatus of Figure 10 is similar to that of Figure 2 and is used in essentially the same manner.

It will be appreciated that by using the apparatus described above in the described manner, water leaking into a roof may temporarily be collected and diverted away from the interior of the building until such time as a permanent and effective repair may be made to the roof. Then, the apparatus may be removed from the roof space, and stored until it is required for re-use elsewhere.

Claims (21)

1. A method of temporarily preventing water damage to a building consequent upon a leaking roof, comprising suspending from the roof timbers in the region of the leak an open-topped collector such that the mouth to the collector is below the leak, and leading to a suitable drain a pipe connected to a lower part of the collector whereby water leaking through the roof collects in the collector and from there is automatically discharged to said drain.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collector is suspended from the roof timbers by means of a plurality of clips each of which has a pair of jaws between which a timber is positioned.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the clips are disposed in a multiplicity of pairs clamped to timbers to each side respectively of the leak, and between each said pair of clamps there is arranged a suspension member from which the collector is suspended.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collector is suspended from the roof timbers by means of a plurality of elongate elastically-extensible members each of which has a respective hook at each end, which hooks of each member are engageable with spaced-apart rafters and maintained connected thereto by tension applied to the hooks by the extended member.

5. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the pipe is arranged to drain into a gutter of the roof.

6. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pipe is led to a sink internally of the building so as to drain collected water into that sink.

7. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one drip means is fitted to a rafter in the region of the leak, to cause water running down that rafter to be diverted into the collector.

8. A method of temporarily preventing water damage to a building consequent upon a leaking roof and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. Apparatus for use in a method of temporarily preventing water damage to a building consequent upon a leaking roof, which apparatus comprises an open-topped water collector, the upper part of the collector defining an open mouth and the collector having a liquid outlet in a lower part thereof, a plurality of clips each of which may be connected to a roof timber, suspension means to suspend the collector from the clips such that the collector mouth is below the leak in the roof, and a pipe connected to the liquid outlet for taking collected water away from the collector.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the collector comprises a bag constructed at least in part from a flexible impervious material.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the collector has a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, wherein there is provided a plurality of openings in the collector adjacent the mouth thereto, the collector being suspended by said openings to lie below a leak in a roof.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 12, wherein there are provided a pair of loops attached to the collector adjacent the mouth thereto, by means of which loops the collector is suspended from the roof timbers.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 13, wherein each clip has a pair of opposed jaws between which a roof timber may be located and gripped.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the jaws of each clip are spring-urged together and are provided with means to increase the grip on a timber located therebetween.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 15, wherein there is provided an elongate suspension member which carries a pair of clips the spacing between which along the length of the member may be adjusted, the collector being suspended from the suspension member.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 13, wherein each clip is in the form of a hook, the clips being arranged in pairs with an elongate elasticallyextensible member extending therebetween, said member being connected to the collector and the clips of a pair being connectable to spaced rafters with the member under tension.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 17, wherein said pipe comprises a flexible hose pipe.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 18 and additionally comprising drip means attachable to a roof timber to cause water running down that timber in the region of a leak to be diverted to run into the collector.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said drip means comprises a clip adapted to be fitted to a rafter, seal means to effect at least a partial seal to the rafter, and a lip projecting downwardly from the clip which lip serves to divert water flow down the rafter from above the clip to be diverted from the rafter.

21. Apparatus for use in a method of temporarily preventing water damage to a building consequent upon a leaking roof, which apparatus is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.