Open or Closed - Roof Valley Installations in the Wichita KS Area

The valley area of a roof is an area where two parts of a roof meet at an angle or where a “v” is formed. It is an important area when it comes to weatherproofing a roof. A roof valley is where a great deal of runoff water can be concentrated during a storm. An improperly laid roof valley can easily become vulnerable to developing leaks so it is important that they be done right.

The two predominate methods of flashing a valley area on a roof in order to protect it on a shingle roof: “open valley” and “closed valley”.

Open Valley Installation

In an open valley, valley metal is installed so the valley metal is left exposed giving it an open surface. A common type of valley metal is “W” valley.

 

Closed Valley Installation

In closed valley roofing, shingles are installed over the valley areas so that it covers (closes) the area and creates its own valley lining. Also roll roofing or ice and water shield is required by code in this configuration in order to offer additional protection.

 

Both open and closed valleys are visually appealing, and it is often a homeowner style preference. Roof lines with numerous valleys may see a higher cost with open valley installation. Both open valley and closed valley perform well when installed properly.