What a valley does
A valley is the channel where two roof slopes meet in an inside corner. A metal valley iron runs under the tiles, and the tiles either side are cut to follow it, so the water from both slopes runs down the iron and into the gutter.
How valleys fail
- Older valley irons rust through, leaving holes where water gets under the tiles.
- Leaves and debris collect in the valley and push water over its edges.
- Where the tiles along a valley are pointed, that pointing cracks and comes away.
- Cut tiles along the valley slip or crack.
Signs worth mentioning when you call
- Stains on the ceiling near an inside corner of the roof.
- Rust you can see along the valley from the ground.
- Water spilling over the valley in heavy rain.
- Leaves building up in the valleys, especially under trees.
What replacing a valley involves
The tiles along the valley are lifted and stacked nearby, the old valley iron comes out and the new one goes in. The tiles are then laid back along the valley and finished.
Shane’s jobs show this from start to finish, including new valleys on an older terracotta roof with a skylight.
Updated . General information about tiled roofs, not advice about a particular roof.
