How To Keep Leaves Out Of Roof Valley cover image

How to Keep Leaves Out of Roof Valleys

Not sure how to keep leaves out of roof valleys or how to blow and successfully remove leaves and debris from your roof?

Many homeowners often neglect the importance of protecting valleys and instead focus solely on their gutters. However, roof valleys are prone to deterioration over time with no care, as leaves and other organic matter stagnate and break down. As valleys accumulate dirt and debris, the surface of your valley will begin to rust and damage.

Thus, Vertec Roofing is here to explain how to keep leaves out of roof valleys, how to blow leaves off roofs and run you through the best way to get leaves out of gutters.

First, let’s take a closer look at what is known as a roof valley.

WHAT IS A ROOF VALLEY?

A roof valley refers to the spot on a roof whereby two sections of sloped roofing meet. This is an area designed for water to efficiently flow down your roof and into your guttering. If this is still hard to picture, think of it as the inside corners on your roof or internal folds.

An open roof valley is not covered by roofing material and is exposed to the open area on your roof. When installed properly with the appropriate roof valley flashing and materials, open valleys are completely waterproof and sealed.

A closed roof valley uses roofing material cut to ensure the planes of a sloping roof meet to create a seamless join. Many choose to have a closed roof valley purely due to its aesthetic appeal.

how to keep leaves out of roof valley infographic

HOW TO KEEP LEAVES OUT OF ROOF VALLEYS

What is a valley on a roof with leaves in it? A big issue. The biggest problem for roof valleys is the concern of leaves collecting within them. When leaves and debris build up in a valley, they prevent water from efficiently flowing down the channel and off your roof. As this worsens, water will accumulate and weaken the roof flashing. When this occurs, water can penetrate the roof, potentially leading to leaks. At Vertec Roofing, we pride ourselves on providing the best leaking roof repairs Sydney, able to efficiently and effectively detect house leaks, repair the source of the leak, and prevent the leak from occurring again.

When considering how to keep leaves out of roof valleys, it should be said that installing a full gutter guard into roof valleys is not the best course of preventative action. This is because:

  • It is unlikely that any water backflow or leakage will occur in the roofing of valleys that have been correctly detailed and installed.
  • The installation of a gutter guard may greatly disturb the upper parts of the roofing.
  • Removing and reinstalling the gutter mesh to clean valleys may be hard or quite costly.
  • Gutter guards can restrict the effective movement of water and leaf debris within a valley.
  • Cleaning your roof valley is a much simpler process.

When discussing how to keep leaves out of roof valleys, it is recommended that you cut back the overhanging trees over the roof to mitigate and control the amount of leaves that will fall onto and build up upon your roof.

As such, it is much easier to simply clear your roof valley once the debris has built up. So how do you clean roof valleys?

HOW TO CLEAR ROOF VALLEYS

To clean and refinish a roof valley:

1. Use a broom or leaf blower to clear off as many leaves and other debris as possible
2. Remove the bulk of the rust from the valley by scraping it off with a flat pry bar, knife, or paint scraper.
3. Use a wire brush to remove the remaining rust
4. Sweep the valley till it is clear with a broom.

In saying this, debris can be removed from the roof valley in a variety of ways, depending on the type of debris, how much debris there is and whether or not some of the roofing material (such as tiles) should be removed to clear the debris. Leaf blowers are a common and effective method of blowing leaves out of roof valleys and should be used to blow leaves out of gutters as it is the best way to get leaves out of gutters.

To clear leaves of a roof valley without a ladder, here are a few potential methods that can get the job done with little to no risk of roof damage:

1. A water jet/sprayer
2. A roof rake
3. A lasso/rope
4. A large stick or extension pole
5. Getting on the roof and walking along it, picking the leaves out manually.

how to clear your roof valleys from leaves

Vertec Roofing offers the most qualified and professional roof cleaning Sydney service. With over 15 years in the roofing industry, Vertec Roofing knows its way around every type of structure, material, and damage limitation method.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CLEAR MY ROOF VALLEYS?

Vertec Roofing recommends that you clear your roof valleys whenever there is a considerable number of debris build up that could affect the efficiency of the roof valley.

As a general rule of thumb, you should clear your roof valleys at least twice a year, preferably in autumn or spring, as this is when the seasons change, and more leaves are likely to fall. You should be roof clearing more often if there are a lot of trees in close proximity to your roof.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T CLEAR ROOF VALLEYS?

If leaves and other debris are left unattended in roof valleys, the dead leaves will absorb water and weigh down your roofing and gutters. Eventually, your gutters will pull away, possibly damaging the exterior of your home.

Trapped moisture creates the perfect conditions for mould and algae, both of which will affect the lifespan of your roof.

Don’t have the time to keep your roof gutters and valleys clear? Vertec Roofing offers high quality, competitively priced gutter cleaning Sydney services, helping your roof stay strong and reliable all year round. If your roof gutters already have damage, we offer gutter & fascia replacement Sydney services, using only the best materials to provide Sydney properties with long-lasting results. Located in the ACT? We also deliver exceptional gutter repair Canberra and leaky roof Canberra services with our ACT roofing team!

THE ROOF VALLEY SPECIALISTS – VERTEC ROOFING

At Vertec Roofing, we pride ourselves on our in-depth knowledge and industry-leading practices for all things roofing. If you have any further questions about roof valleys or how to keep leaves out of roof valleys, don’t hesitate to get in contact. We’re happy to inspect, repair and install roof valleys across all of Greater Sydney and Canberra.

Vertec Roofing is Sydney’s leading team of roof repair experts. Call us on (02) 8007 4366 or head to our contact page today.

One Response

  1. The most annoying design of the roof valley is where the roof tile sits on top of the metal part of the valley
    THERE IS A HUGH GAP WHICH ALLOWS FOREIGN MATTER TO ENTER THE CEILING
    I have been trying to find a product that eliminates this gap
    I don’t understand why the manufacturers cant design a metal valley for tilled roofs even a premium price ! Would be to eliminate the GAP IE the top edge of metal valley matches/mates with the tile underneath with the tile sealing the GAP
    This is available for metal roofs ie trimdeck and corrugated roofing profiles.
    As you mention BLOWING every six months the valley contents simply goes into the ceiling NOT GOOD PRACTICE think over a lifetime of this practice in the event of flammable fire embers etc entering this gap and thence into the ceiling of dried matter. From all the years of keeping the valley clear and clean.

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