Thread: How to drain from the valley

It is a new house. The end of the valley above the porch seems obstruct by the sidewall. Any comment?

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Unless that looks a lot different in real life when you were there, all those step flashings along that 'raised rake' (for lack of a better term) looks like they will leak along the top as, at most, they may have been tucked up under a board laid across the top, and at worst, they are simply up along the vertical side of the board (looks like some of both in the photos).

Then there is that blind valley which does not drain out the end, that is a real cause for leaking past the best installed flashings, and a real potential problem for the way those flashing were installed.

Then there is the sub-fascia (or is it supposed to be the fascia) which is unpainted. No drip edge?

Everything I can see and imagine about the way it was done simply looks wrong.

Originally Posted by Daniel Leung

It is a new house. The end of the valley above the porch seems obstruct by the sidewall. Any comment?

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Picture 1. Obstructed Valley that Will Leak & Rot ( Remove Valley Drainage Obstruction.)
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Picture 2. Exposed Trim ( top of Picture ) needs repaired.
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They should finish the parts you can't see from the ground.

Then they should force Mr.architect to keep that gutter clean for the life of the roof.

Also the step flashing must be at every course, in the second picture (if you zoom in) this does not appear to be the case.

Option 1 - tear the wall out about 2' back and re-engineer the end of the valley , roof, and flashings.
Option 2 - cut a large hole through the wall and install a modified scupper to allow the water to exit.
I would make it clear to my client that leaving it as is, is NOT an option.
It seems pretty amazing that no one during the build process either caught that as a problem or saw it and forced the issue. This is a great example of why HI's should be in business.

Thanks for the suggestion! I already told the buyer let the builder to fix the problem. I prefer leave it to the roofer for a solution (it is under new home warranty).

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

I would make it clear to my client that leaving it as is, is NOT an option. It seems pretty amazing that no one during the build process either caught that as a problem or saw it and forced the issue. This is a great example of why HI's should be in business.

This is an example why we spend more time for a brand new home inspection. HI's are the last watchmen in the construction process.

HI's are the last watchmen in the construction process

DL: In my area they are the only watchmen.

The only problem I see is stated in the attached picture.

Originally Posted by Wayne Carlisle

The only problem I see is stated in the attached picture.

WC: You must be a TREC licensee . . .

Originally Posted by Wayne Carlisle

The only problem I see is stated in the attached picture.

Wayne, it looks like a paper clip.
But they are melted rubber bands, please see the two attached photos.

Originally Posted by Daniel Leung

Wayne, it looks like a paper clip.
But they are melted rubber bands, please see the two attached photos.

Look very close, they're condom rings. That roof is *&^%ed.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

Look very close, they're condom rings. That roof is *&^%ed.

JK:

I never see the metal valleys here so my question is, is it OK to run a shingle parallel with the valley and step the shingles up the valley?

You can see this best in the second pic of post 11.

Originally Posted by chris mcintyre

I never see the metal valleys here so my question is, is it OK to run a shingle parallel with the valley and step the shingles up the valley?

You can see this best in the second pic of post 11.

Some manufacturers allow it, they refer to it as a "California Valley" in the details I've seen from manufacturers.

But I've only seen details about cut line valleys, possibly because that was all I was inquiring about.

Originally Posted by chris mcintyre

I never see the metal valleys here so my question is, is it OK to run a shingle parallel with the valley and step the shingles up the valley?

You can see this best in the second pic of post 11.

It is allowed, preferred by installers because it is faster. Using metal in the valleys is the best valley, trimming each shingle on an angle and ensuring the top corner (under the following shingle) is trimmed is the better way to install the metal valleys, commonly referred to as "open cut".

Frank Suchodolski, RRO

From what I can tell in the first photo, water could pool at he end of the flashing, where it can get under the shingles similar to an ice dam. The installation needs correcting because it likely will cause rotting, as someone else pointed out. That being said, why are you specifying a fix for it? Your job as an inspector is to find the problems--not to tell the client how to fix it. You are opening yourself up for some pretty big liability which might not be covered by your insurance, assuming you have that. I recommend leaving the fix decisions up to the people who do that work for a living--put the liability in their court, not yours.

Originally Posted by Daniel Leung

I already told the buyer let the builder to fix the problem. I prefer leave it to the roofer for a solution.

Originally Posted by Matthew Klein

why are you specifying a fix for it? Your job as an inspector is to find the problems--not to tell the client how to fix it. You are opening yourself up for some pretty big liability which might not be covered by your insurance, assuming you have that. I recommend leaving the fix decisions up to the people who do that work for a living--put the liability in their court, not yours.

Mathew,
I have not seen where Daniel "specified a fix for it." The reason for the discussion is an exchange of opinions and ideas that benefits and educates all.

MK, good point. That is why I posted on #7: "I already told the buyer let the builder to fix the problem. I prefer leave it to the roofer for a solution (it is under new home warranty)."

This thread should have been named "How not to drain a valley". Aside from the paper clips and rubberbands on the roof, the valley in the first picture, needs to have the fascia board trimmed to allow the water to drain unobstructed, as far as the "architectually liscensed" fascia detail, as long as the "cap flashing" has a minimum of 2" lapped onto the steps, which is not the case here, it would be acceptable.