Rusty Roof Valleys

Roof valleys are troughs that discard runoff water where two sections of sloped roof meet.

Rusty roof valleys.

They can last for more than 20 years but external factors can considerably shorten that period. Severely rusted flashing may warp curl or even develop holes exposing your home to the possibility of damaging leaks. Wet leafs stick to the valley and corrosion leads to formation of rust bubbles. The copper roof valley shown above cracked and leaked from thermal movement.

To clean and refinish a roof valley. Believe it or not one of the most common causes for roof leakage is leafs. Felt tar paper some roofers offer nothing more than roofing felt as a valley liner. A popular trend that has been occurring in mountain retreats and ranch style homes a corten roof offers a unique appeal to many homeowners.

Roof one side of the valley running the shingles across it. Rusty flashing is more than just an eyesore. The valleys on many older houses comprise layers of roofing paper which can deteriorate over time. Stop nailing 6 inches from the center.

First clean the debris out of the valley including sawdust nails and whatever else is in there. The internal angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes to provide water runoff. You can see that repairs were attempted using a black asphalt based flashing cement. Shingle the other side of the valley the same way.

Even badly rusted flashing can be renewed if it s caught early enough. 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. With a clean valley you can lay down some peel and stick roofing membrane.

Lay one and two tab shingles as you near the valley so full size shingles will run across the valley. Lifespan of roof valleys is relatively long. This is because the old valleys used to be galvanised and they start corroding with time especially if they trap leaves. 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.

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. The flashing around vents chimneys and skylights prevents rain from leaking in. In modern metal roofing applications the trend tends to be using a weathering steel on a standing seam roofing panel. The flashing in the valleys of your roof depends on a smooth surface for rain to wash debris off your roof.

Unfortunately not only did the flashing cement give only short term relief its chemistry attached the copper below thinning and corroding the copper.