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Valley Tray Installation Carine

Roof, Valley Tray and Gutter Maintenance

Roof Valley Tray Maintenance and Replacement Perth

 

The plumbing works around the typical home should be designed to handle the average amount of rainfall we receive every year, but with so many different roof shapes and architectural designs, these can actually become the cause of some major issues.

Water can get in through the tiniest gaps, especially around screws with damaged seals, small fractures in tiles, loose/ broken ridge capping and through overflowing valley trays or gutters. So, how do you fix the problem? Every home has its own challenges when it comes to fixing roof leaks, but most importantly periodical maintenance can solve most issues before they become big problems!

Perth Gutter Cleaning and Maintenance

 

Roofing, Valley Tray and Gutter Maintenance Perth

 

Every year it is a good idea to have someone clean the gutters thoroughly, checking that the downpipes are not blocked and ensuring water can move away from the roof, quickly. The valleys should be cleaned and whenever possible, remove the tiles either side of the valley tray to clear debris trapped under them.The valleys can look clear but once you remove some tiles, you will see that most will have clumps of debris creating small ramps for water to run over into the roof cavity. Once you have cleared the valley, inspect the lip edges on either side of the tray to ensure that they stand proud and not flat. Their job is to guide the water down the valley to the gutters, not into the roof.If the lips are flat, it is possible to knock them back up with a small hammer. Just be careful not to break the seam. If the tray is aging and showing signs of rust or the lip edges are beyond repair, it is a good idea to think about replacement.

Roof Leak Spot
Debris under tiles in valley tray allowing water to drip into the ceiling space.

 

Valley Tray Replacement Perth

 

Replacing the tray involves removing the top section of ridge capping above the tray, as this sits on top of and acts as a seal. Next remove both sides of tiles all the way from top to bottom and bottom to top on the opposite side, pay attention to how you stack the tiles in order that they came out (easier to put back later).

Scarborough Valley Tray Replacement
New Valley Tray to be Installed in Scarborough.

Once the ridge capping is removed, mark the top and bottom shapes of the old valley tray, this will give you a template to work to when putting the new tray in (unless the design is poor and you can make it better). Working from the top sheet down and being careful not to stand in the valley when it is loose, use a claw hammer to pull out the clout head nails pinning each tray down. These can usually be found at the top corners of each tray or the top center. Each valley has differing amounts of trays to meet the distance of each run and once the trays are out, measure the valley board run and order valley trays to match the distance.

Starting from the bottom, install the new trays, cutting the bottom edge to match the shape of the old one you marked out. Usually they have a ‘V’ cut into the center, with the sides extending towards the front of the gutter.Once the bottom is cut, place the tray and nail in using clout head nails. I use 30mm x 2.8mm shank clout head nails and place one either side as close to the top as possible. Use roof and gutter sealant to create a seal over each nail head (this is very important). Tap open the lip edges on the fixed tray at the top about 150mm either side to place second sheet. Overlap the trays by about 150mm and tap the edges back down to crimp the sheets in place.

Follow the steps from the first tray (minus the cutting), ensuring you nail and seal each tray. Make sure the trays sit centered on the valley boards and not angled. Once you get to the top tray, cut it slightly longer than your marks at the top. You should create a wall with a 15mm lip bent up and seal the edges on top. This allows any wind driven rain to come up the tray and stop, instead of over the edge and into the ceiling.

Once all the trays are nailed and sealed up, replace both sides of valley cut tiles. Pay careful attention to how they go back and use tile clips to hold loose tiles that sit over the tray. Now replace the ridge caps and if required re-bed them using a stiff cement mix. When you have aligned the ridge caps and everything looks as it should, re-point the removed ridge capping and a few extra either side for strength.

Ridge Pointing After Valley Tray Replacement
Finished pointing after valley tray replacement

Clean up any debris and remove all rubbish from the roof. It is a good idea to keep off the tiles over the tray edges. This will reduce the chance of the edges becoming flattened. Be sure to clean your gutters!

Related Tags: Roof Maintenance Perth