Weatherproofing assembly for use with a group of roof windows comprising at least two roof windows and a method for weatherproofing a group of roof windows

Abstract

A weatherproofing assembly for use with a group of roof windows comprising at least two roof windows mounted adjacent to each other in a sloped roof structure ( 4 ) is disclosed. It comprises a first underroof collar ( 1, 1 a ), a second underroof collar ( 1, 1 b ), and a flashing assembly ( 5 ). The flashing assembly comprises a first set of flashing members including one top flashing member ( 51 ), one bottom flashing member ( 52 ), and two side flashing members ( 53, 54 ) corresponding to those used in the installation of a single roof window, and a second set of flashing members including one middle gutter flashing member ( 15, 19 ) and a sub-set of two other flashing members, said sub-set being chosen from the group comprising an over-under sub-set including one top flashing member ( 51 ) and one bottom flashing member ( 52 ) and a sides sub-set including two side flashing members ( 53, 54 ). At least one collar member ( 11, 12, 13, 14 ) of the second underroof collar comprises a reduced amount of collar material compared to the corresponding collar member of the first underroof collar.

1 . A weatherproofing assembly for use with a group of roof windows comprising at least two roof windows mounted adjacent to each other in a sloped roof structure having a slope direction, where each of said at least two roof windows comprises a frame comprising a top frame member and a bottom frame member both extending horizontally in a mounted state of the roof window and two side frame members extending in the slope direction in the mounted state of the roof window, said weatherproofing assembly comprising a first underroof collar, a second underroof collar, and a flashing assembly,
 where each of said first underroof collar and said second underroof collar comprises a top collar member configured for extending along the top frame member of a corresponding roof window, a bottom collar member configured for extending along the bottom frame member of a corresponding roof window, and two side collar members each configured for extending along a side frame member of a corresponding roof window, said top, bottom and side collar members being made from an underroof collar material, where said top collar member, said bottom collar member, and said side collar members delimit a collar opening, and where each of said top, bottom and side collar members has a length direction extending along the collar opening and a width direction extending perpendicular to the length direction, away from the collar opening, and   where said flashing assembly comprises at least one top flashing member configured for extending along a top frame member, at least one bottom flashing member configured for extending along a bottom frame member, at least two side flashing members each configured for extending along a side frame member, and at least one middle gutter flashing member configured for extending between roof windows,   that the flashing assembly comprises a first set of flashing members including one top flashing member, one bottom flashing member, and two side flashing members corresponding to those used in the installation of a single roof window, and a second set of flashing members including one middle gutter flashing member and a sub-set of two other flashing members, said sub-set of two other flashing members being chosen from the group comprising an over-under sub-set including one top flashing member and one bottom flashing member and a sides sub-set including two side flashing members, and   that at least one collar member of the second underroof collar comprises a reduced amount of collar material compared to a corresponding collar member of the first underroof collar.   
     
     
         2 . The weatherproofing assembly according to  claim 1 , where the at least one collar member of the second underroof collar comprising the reduced amount of collar material has a reduced width compared to the width of the corresponding collar member of the first underroof collar. 
     
     
         3 . The weatherproofing assembly according to  claim 1 , where the side collar members of the first underroof collar are made with a surplus of material and where the at least one collar member of the second underroof collar comprising a reduced amount of collar material is a side collar member without such a surplus of material. 
     
     
         4 . The weatherproofing assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third underroof collar and where the flashing assembly further comprises a third set comprising one middle gutter flashing member and two other flashing members. 
     
     
         5 . The weatherproofing assembly according to  claim 4 , where the two other flashing members of the third set are a top flashing member and a bottom flashing member or two side flashing members. 
     
     
         6 . The weatherproofing assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth underroof collar and where the flashing assembly comprises a fourth set contained in a fourth packaging element and comprising two middle gutter flashing members, one for use between roof windows mounted side by side and one for roof windows mounted one above another. 
     
     
         7 . The weatherproofing assembly according to  claim 4 , where at least one of the first set of flashing members and the third set of flashing members comprises a drainage gutter. 
     
     
         8 . The weatherproofing assembly according to  claim 7 , where at least one drainage gutter is a telescopic drainage gutter configured for extending along the top frame member of one roof window in an un-extended state and for extending along the top frame members of two roof windows in an extended state. 
     
     
         9 . A method for weatherproofing a group of roof windows comprising at least two roof windows mounted adjacent to each other in a sloped roof structure having a slope direction, where each of said at least two roof windows comprises a frame comprising a top frame member and a bottom frame member both extending horizontally in a mounted state of the roof window and two side frame members extending in the slope direction in the mounted state of the roof window, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) mounting a first underroof collar at a first roof window with a top collar member extending along the top frame member of a first roof window, a bottom collar member extending along the bottom frame member, and side collar members extending along the side frame members, said first underroof collar being made from an underroof collar material,   b) mounting a second underroof collar at a second roof window mounted adjacent to the first roof window with a top collar member extending along the top frame member of a second roof window, a bottom collar member extending along the bottom frame member, and side collar members extending along the side frame members, said top, bottom and side collar members of said second underroof collar being made from an underroof collar material, and said second underroof collar having at least one collar member with a reduced amount of collar material compared to the corresponding underroof collar of the first underroof collar and being arranged so that said at least one collar member with a reduced amount of collar material extends along a frame member of the second roof window facing the first roof window,   c) providing a first set of flashing members including one top flashing member, one bottom flashing member, and two side flashing members corresponding to those used in the installation of a single roof window, and a second set of flashing members including one middle gutter flashing member and a sub-set of two other flashing members, said sub-set of two other flashing members being chosen from the group comprising an over-under sub-set including one top flashing member and one bottom flashing member and a sides sub-set including two side flashing members, and   d) mounting three flashing members of the first set of flashing members at the first roof window and one flashing member of the first set of flashing members at the second roof window at the frame member of the second roof window opposite the frame member facing the first roof window, and   e) mounting the second set of flashing members at the second roof window with the middle gutter flashing member extending along the frame member of the second roof window facing the first roof window.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising f) mounting a third underroof collar at a third roof window mounted adjacent to at least one of the first roof window and the second roof window, and g) mounting a third set of flashing members comprising one middle gutter flashing member, and two other flashing members. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising h) mounting at least one drainage gutter along the top frame member of at least one roof window. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 i) depending on the configuration of the group of roof windows, choosing between a first flashing configuration, where each of a telescopic drainage gutter of the first set of flashing members and the drainage gutter of the third set of flashing members extends along the top frame member of a corresponding roof window of two roof windows, a second flashing configuration, where the telescopic drainage gutter of the first set of flashing members extends along the top frame members of two roof windows and the drainage gutter of the third set of flashing members extends along the top frame member of another roof window, and a third flashing configuration, where the telescopic drainage gutter of the first set of flashing members extends along the top frame members of two roof windows and where the drainage gutter of the third set of flashing members is not in use,   j) if having chosen the first flashing configuration in step i), mounting the telescopic drainage gutter of the first set of flashing members in an un-extended state, and, if having chosen the second flashing configuration or the third flashing configuration in step i), mounting the telescopic drainage gutter of the first set of flashing members in an extended state, and   k) if having chosen the first flashing configuration or the second flashing configuration in step i), mounting the drainage gutter of the third set of flashing members.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  12 , where at least one drainage gutter is a telescopic drainage gutter, which is brought into an extended state before or during step j) or k). 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising
 l) interconnecting the first underroof collar and the second underroof collar after at least one of step b) and step c).   
     
     
         15 . The weatherproofing assembly according to  claim 3 , where the surplus material of the side collar members of the first underroof collar is pleating. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising h) mounting at least one drainage gutter along the top frame member of at least one roof window. 
     
     
         17 . A weatherproofing assembly for use with a group of roof windows comprising at least two roof windows mounted adjacent to each other in a sloped roof structure having a slope direction, where each of said at least two roof windows comprises a frame comprising a top frame member and a bottom frame member both extending horizontally in a mounted state of the roof window and two side frame members extending in the slope direction in the mounted state of the roof window, said weatherproofing assembly comprising a first underroof collar, a second underroof collar, and a flashing assembly,
 where each of said first underroof collar and said second underroof collar comprises a top collar member configured for extending along the top frame member of a corresponding roof window, a bottom collar member configured for extending along the bottom frame member of a corresponding roof window, and two side collar members each configured for extending along a side frame member of a corresponding roof window, said top, bottom and side collar members being made from an underroof collar material, where said top collar member, said bottom collar member, and said side collar members delimit a collar opening, and where each of said top, bottom and side collar members has a length direction extending along the collar opening and a width direction extending perpendicular to the length direction, away from the collar opening, and   where said flashing assembly comprises at least one top flashing member configured for extending along a top frame member, at least one bottom flashing member configured for extending along a bottom frame member, at least two side flashing members each configured for extending along a side frame member, and at least one middle gutter flashing member configured for extending between roof windows,   that the flashing assembly comprises a first set of flashing members contained in a first packaging element and including one top flashing member, one bottom flashing member, and two side flashing members corresponding to those used in the installation of a single roof window, and a second set of flashing members contained in a second packaging element and including one middle gutter flashing member and a sub-set of two other flashing members, said sub-set of two other flashing members being chosen from the group comprising an over-under sub-set including one top flashing member and one bottom flashing member and a sides sub-set including two side flashing members, and   that at least one collar member of the second underroof collar comprises a reduced amount of collar material compared to a corresponding collar member of the first underroof collar and wherein the second underroof collar is contained in said second packaging element with said one middle gutter flashing member and the sub-set of two other flashing members.