Let's talk about the DEAD VALLEY

A DEAD VALLEY is a feature on a home where a roof plane comes to a dead end at a side wall. It look really good from the street.... but is a huge pain in the neck when it comes to keeping water out of your home. 

This home is very typical in the placement of the dead valley, one on each side of the entryway. 
As seen from the top, the water is funneled down into the sidewalls. 

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You can see from this view that the dead valley area has been covered with rolled bitumen. The one below is shingled. Whereas a shingle only sheds water, Rolled Bit is a sheet membrane that can be made to be water tight. Rolled Bit "should" keep the water out, IF it is done correctly. 

So, as my good friend and Mentor, Jon Bolton would say... "Where does the water go?" 

This is very typical damage caused from water intrusion at a dead valley. In this case, at the side wall, but in others it is at the valley termination. 

"Ok Bo, so my home has a dead valley, what do I do?"....... Unfortunately, your main course of action is to keep it clear of debris and monitor it. Debris clogging it up can compound the issue. Also you can keep the bottom of the J Channel sealed up.... 

Roofers have changed their techniques over time and are getting much better at keeping the water out of the home. But sometimes, the design wins.... or loses in this case. The next set of pictures are on a Million Dollar, 2 years old home.