An eave is a collective term for an overhang at the lower edge of a roof, that keeps rainwater away from the walls below. This eave normally projects beyond the outside of the building, and may become an architectural feature. Maintaining eaves consistently contributes to protecting the value of a homeowner’s investment.
Three Parts of Eaves Well Worth Maintaining
An eave is the open area beneath a roof overhang at the lower edge. Several things might go wrong if we left it open:
- Damp from driven rain and snow could find its way through a gap at the top of the wall and cause damp inside.
- Moisture from driven rain and snow could penetrate the ends of the rafters and cause them to rot.
- Rodents, birds and insects could create nests on top of the rafters, and become a health hazard.
Boxing in the space beneath the roof overhang is the best, and arguably only way to avoid these problems. This also makes maintaining eaves simpler in the long run, because the work can be done from outside the building.
Two Interactive Parts of Properly Finished Eaves
Fascia Boards Along the Lower Roof Edge
The fascia boards, that some refer to as soffit boards, are the first thing we may think of in terms of maintaining eaves properly. These strips usually attach to the ends of rafters, protecting them as they finish off the lower run of the roof.
Fascias also perform the important role of supporting and stabilizing runs of eaves trough. These two components are actually interactive systems, because when we maintain one we inevitably affect the other.
Soffit Boards Enclosing the Roof Edge Below
Soffits are sheets of wind and water-proofing material that enclose the space behind the fascias between the rafter ends. They protect these timbers, while allowing airflow from inside the roof to escape through vents.
There’s not much point in having soffits without having fascias to complete the enclosure. Neither of these two components will last forever, although we can extend their life by having the third element, eaves troughs, to take the roof water away.
Good Reasons for Maintaining These Eave Parts Together
Fascias, soffits and eaves troughs work together, to prevent roof water entering the house. They need each other to do this job properly, and to an extent rely on each other structurally.
That’s why Valiant Exteriors recommends replacing all three components at the same time. If we do them separately then we have additional work, and this adds to the cost of maintaining eaves on a house.
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