Rusty Roof Valleys

Stop nailing 6 inches from the center.

Rusty roof valleys.

Use a broom to sweep off the leaves and other debris. With a clean valley you can lay down some peel and stick roofing membrane. You can see that repairs were attempted using a black asphalt based flashing cement. The internal angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes to provide water runoff.

Lifespan of roof valleys is relatively long. Roof valleys are troughs that discard runoff water where two sections of sloped roof meet. Believe it or not one of the most common causes for roof leakage is leafs. The flashing around vents chimneys and skylights prevents rain from leaking in.

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. Shingle the other side of the valley the same way. This is because the old valleys used to be galvanised and they start corroding with time especially if they trap leaves. Snap a chalkline 2 to 3 inches past the valley center on the top layer of shingles.

The copper roof valley shown above cracked and leaked from thermal movement. To clean and refinish a roof valley. However roofing felt s waterproofing ability is ruined the moment the asphalt shingles cedar slate tile etc. First clean the debris out of the valley including sawdust nails and whatever else is in there.

Roof one side of the valley running the shingles across it. Unfortunately not only did the flashing cement give only short term relief its chemistry attached the copper below thinning and corroding the copper. 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.

Rusty flashing is more than just an eyesore. In modern metal roofing applications the trend tends to be using a weathering steel on a standing seam roofing panel. A popular trend that has been occurring in mountain retreats and ranch style homes a corten roof offers a unique appeal to many homeowners. 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 valleys on many older houses comprise layers of roofing paper which can deteriorate over time. In more rustic styled designs we see it used more with corrugated metal panels. Felt tar paper some roofers offer nothing more than roofing felt as a valley liner. They can last for more than 20 years but external factors can considerably shorten that period.

Even badly rusted flashing can be renewed if it s caught early enough.