What is the difference between eaves and soffits?
Monday, 23 November 2020
When we talk about a roofline, you’ll be amazed at the world of different components there are. Like any piece of engineering, the roof of your home is a complex network of interdependent features. So in pondering the difference between eaves and soffits, you’ll find that all of the various elements fit together like a jigsaw. When the jigsaw is complete, your home is both protected and elegant. This is why replacing the components of your roofline is a wise home maintenance decision. It’s easy to overlook this part of your home, though. So let’s try to better understand the roofline and how we can go about optimising it.
What are eaves?
The eaves of your home are the part of the roof that overhang the external wall. The purpose of them is to direct potentially harmful things like rain, snow and debris away from the building. In summer, the eaves of a home provide some shading to windows. This works hand in hand with double glazed technology when it comes to regulating the temperature of a home. Eaves tend to be categorised in four different ways:
- Exposed
The underside of the roof and its supporting rafters are visible from underneath. - Soffited
The underside of the eave is sealed with panelling called a soffit. This connects the bottom tip of the eave with the side of the building at a 90-degree angle. - Boxed-in
The eave is encased around the roof rafters but it meets the side of the building at the same angle as the roof pitch. - Abbreviated
This type of eave is cut off almost perpendicular with the side of the building, so that it barely extends beyond the side of the building.
What are soffits?
Soffits work with fascias to seal and protect the eaves of a roof. Although not always required by a building design, they form part of most homes in the UK. The word itself is derived
The soffit serves a dual purpose within a roofing system. It enhances the clarity of appearance of the roof and also protects the underlying rafters. Without a soffit, over time rafters would rot. This then encourages the accumulation of mould in the home and permanent damage to the stability of the roof. Soffits are also vital to the airflow of a home. Upgraded soffits will always include some structured ventilation so that moisture is not allowed to accumulate. In this way, soffits encourage the dispersal of moisture from inside the home as much as they prevent the penetration of moisture from outside.
What about the rest?
Fascias
A fascia is placed on the front of the roofline where the roof meets an outer wall. Fascia boards are long straight boards which sit at the lower edge of the roof, fixed directly to roof trusses. The boards support the last row of tiles or other roofing material as well as anchoring the guttering. Often working in tandem with soffits, fascias both finish the aesthetic of a home and protect the interior from weather damage.
Guttering
The water flow system to remove rainfall from your home, guttering is the pipework that prevents water penetration and pooling. It’s true that guttering is a less than glamorous but integral part of your roofline. It must work practically and aesthetically with your soffits and fascias to complete and protect your home.
Protection
So, why is this part of your home so complicated? Well, it’s because the roofline actually plays the largest part in protecting your home from the elements. Which is why it’s pretty surprising that it’s so often neglected. In the days of painted wooden soffits and fascias, this part of a home could go downhill rapidly. However nowadays, durable and low maintenance materials mean that your home can be protected in the long term.
Damp
Damp within your eaves can cause the accumulation of black mould around the top of bedroom walls. Properly ventilated soffits are crucial in avoiding damp within your home. uPVC soffits and fascias prevent the retention of moisture that damaged and unprotected wood can cause.
Pests
The eaves of your home are one of the most prominent entry points for pests such as rodents or trapped birds. So whilst it’s important for soffits to be ventilated, well designed and fitted eave encasement is vital in pest prevention.
Insulation
Your home can experience considerable heat loss through your roof. Soffits constructed from uPVC are more energy efficient and work with your roof insulation to prevent the loss of heat from your roof.
Drainage
Your home’s fascia and guttering combination regulates the water flow from your home. This means that rain water can be prevented from pooling. It’s important therefore to protect your guttering from blockage.
Improvements
So, when it comes to making home improvements, how can you best improve your roofline? The fascias, soffits and guttering that you select will not only serve to protect your home, but also to finish it. You need not be limited to white uPVC; the unique style of your home can be enhanced by your roofline choices.
Materials
uPVC plastic tends to be a favoured material for soffits and fascias to protect your eaves. It is affordable, low maintenance and a good insulator. We supply Eurocell boards which come in a range of styles, colours and edging. There’s no maintenance once it’s fitted and no discolouration or warping.
Aesthetics
The Fascias and soffits that encase your eaves may not be the first thing to directly catch attention. However, the clean lines of high quality roofline construction are the aspect that lifts the appearance of a home. With a variety of colours and even replica wood appearance, you can achieve the perfect look for your home.
So you can see that the world of your eaves is a complex and vital one. And it’s also one which you won’t really have to consider very much any more after you’ve upgraded your roofline with Bill Butters Windows and Doors!