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The soffit is the material beneath the eave that connects the far edge of your roof to the exterior wall of your house. They are often vented. Besides being underneath your eaves, soffits can also be on the underside of a porch roof.
What is fascia and soffit on a house?
The soffit is part of the overhang where your roof meets your siding. The fascia is the attractive board along the side of the overhang and the roof that helps your roof appear finished. Your gutter sits atop the facia board. The fascia is also known as a “transition trim” between the home and the roofline.
What is the difference between eaves and soffits?
Eaves are usually made of wood and then covered with roofing material. Soffit materials coordinate with siding and fascia boards on the exterior walls, and generally follow the aesthetics of the residence.
Does a house have to have soffits?
Your home can have an eave without being enclosed by a soffit, but it can’t have a soffit without an eave. Older homes and some new construction homes with insulated roofs have exposed — or open-rafter — eaves where the rafters of the eaves are visible. In that case, soffits are not necessary.
What is the purpose of a soffit on a house?
Soffit outlining the roofline allows for continuous ventilation and is one of the most effective ways to ventilate into the attic. Air from the soffit cycles to the vents to draw heat and moisture away from the house. Moisture is mold’s breading ground and the cause of roof rot and poor air quality.
What causes soffit damage?
The most common causes of soffit and fascia damage are water and sun exposure. Being exposed to these elements for long periods, soffit and fascia boards may end up with wet or dry rot. If you have vinyl soffits, they may sustain cracks due to physical damage or freeze/thaw cycles.
How much does soffit cost to install?
The labor costs for soffit and fascia installation can vary from contractor to contractor. Fascia installation costs range from $6 to $20 per linear foot, while soffit installation tends to be cheaper than fascia at $1 to $3 per linear foot.
What’s the overhang on a house called?
What Is a Soffit? Your roof by necessity, will often times extend over the walls of your home. This overhang can go by a few names, such as the house eaves or the rafters of your roof. The underside of this overhang, when given a finished appearance, is known as the soffit, which means “something fixed underneath”.
What is the border around the roof called?
Eave: An eave is the lower border of the roof that overhangs the wall usually located in the first three feet of a roof.
What is the Eve on a house?
What Is an Eave? An eave is the edge of the roof that overhangs the exterior siding. Parts of an eave include the soffit, which is the underside of your roof’s eaves, and the fascia, the vertical facing board.
Are soffits ever structural?
Because kitchen soffits are purposeful and involve integral structural and functional elements of your kitchen, it’s important to discuss your ideas with a home remodeling professional before taking any steps or making any decisions.
Do soffits lead to attic?
Soffit vents are roof ventilation devices installed underneath the eaves of a roof that extend past the warm wall line. When properly combined with other roof ventilation devices, soffit vents allow fresh air to enter into an attic creating air flow.
Do old houses have soffits?
Older homes frequently did not have soffit venting but just a solid, usually plywood, soffit surface. Modern houses usually have a prefinished material, vinyl or aluminum, that’s perforated for venting used as soffit material.
Should soffits be sealed?
Soffit allows air to circulate in and out of the attic through the rafters and is available in both aluminum or vinyl. One important aspect of any home is making sure it is sealed and secure. After soffit is installed, it is important to properly seal it from the many outdoor elements it can come across.
How do you fix a soffit?
Soffit and Fascia Repair Remove Shingle Mold. Pry the narrow shingle mold from the fascia using a flat bar. Remove Rotted Fascia. Remove the rotted section of fascia. Remove Old Soffit. Pull down to remove the old soffit. Remove Rotted Rafter. Attach Cleat. Attach New Rafter. Seal Replacement Soffit. Attach Replacement Soffit.
Can you paint soffits?
To paint your home’s soffits and eaves, you’ll need to spend between 1 and 2 hours for every 25 linear feet. Before you begin, make sure the exterior has been properly prepped. That includes scraping, repairing, and priming damaged wood, and cleaning the surface thoroughly.
Why is water leaking from my soffit?
Gutter Problems A gutter that is clogged with organic debris such as leaves, or that is damaged so that water does not flow down the gutters as intended, can lead to water leaking through the house’s soffit. Maintaining your gutters eliminates this problem because melting snow flows off your roof without any backup.
How often should soffits be replaced?
Just like the other parts of your roof, they are constantly being exposed to damaging wind, humidity, sun, rain, and critters. It is a good idea to get in the habit of inspecting your fascias and soffits twice a year.
When should I replace my soffit and fascia?
An ideal time to replace damaged fasciae and soffits is when you have a contractor install a new roof. If your roof replacement is an insurance restoration, ask your claims adjuster to include the replacement of any damaged fascia or soffit.
What is the labor cost to install soffit and fascia?
The labor cost to install fascia is between $6 and $20 per linear foot. The average one-story home will need 300 linear feet of soffits, which would require between 11 and 13 active labor hours costing $800 to $1,400 total. The labor cost to install soffits is between $1.50 and $3 per foot.
