Rusty Roof Valleys

The flashing in the valleys of your roof depends on a smooth surface for rain to wash debris off your roof.

Rusty roof valleys.

Believe it or not one of the most common causes for roof leakage is leafs. The valleys on many older houses comprise layers of roofing paper which can deteriorate over time. You can see that repairs were attempted using a black asphalt based flashing cement. They can last for more than 20 years but external factors can considerably shorten that period.

If not maintained properly roof valleys can become clogged with leaves and other debris which can cause the metal to rust and the roof to leak. First clean the debris out of the valley including sawdust nails and whatever else is in there. In modern metal roofing applications the trend tends to be using a weathering steel on a standing seam roofing panel. The flashing around vents chimneys and skylights prevents rain from leaking in.

Severely rusted flashing may warp curl or even develop holes exposing your home to the possibility of damaging leaks. Rusty flashing is more than just an eyesore. Stop nailing 6 inches from the center. This is because the old valleys used to be galvanised and they start corroding with time especially if they trap leaves.

Shingle the other side of the valley the same way. With a clean valley you can lay down some peel and stick roofing membrane. Felt tar paper some roofers offer nothing more than roofing felt as a valley liner. Use a broom to sweep off the leaves and other debris.

In more rustic styled designs we see it used more with corrugated metal panels. A popular trend that has been occurring in mountain retreats and ranch style homes a corten roof offers a unique appeal to many homeowners. Lay one and two tab shingles as you near the valley so full size shingles will run across the valley. Wet leafs stick to the valley and corrosion leads to formation of rust bubbles.

A rusty valley on a tile roof which needs to be replaced typically where a valley is located on a roof roof valley replacements are fairly common especially on tiled roofs. To clean and refinish a roof valley. Lifespan of roof valleys is relatively long. Fold the top over the roof ridge and cut the bottom along the drip edge metal.

Snap a chalkline 2 to 3 inches past the valley center on the top layer of shingles. Roof valleys are troughs that discard runoff water where two sections of sloped roof meet. However roofing felt s waterproofing ability is ruined the moment the asphalt shingles cedar slate tile etc. Unfortunately not only did the flashing cement give only short term relief its chemistry attached the copper below thinning and corroding the copper.

Roof one side of the valley running the shingles across it.