The exterior components of a house are what keep it warm and dry inside. We seldom give a thought to their actual purpose though. We are more interested in the overall impression quality roofing, siding, soffits, fascias, and eavestroughing create. When a sudden storm strikes, we realise how important they are to our comfort. Provided we look after them properly, we should be able to sleep peacefully through whatever the weather sends our way.

The Exterior Components of a House We Care For

At first glance, a roof seems something we do not really need to care about.

In fact, a good roof should last a lifetime if we stay off it, and leave it alone.

The weaker points are where a roof terminates, because the wind and rain can work away at them, and eventually find a way through to cause damage. We call these potential weak points soffits, fascias, and eavestroughing in Canada. Let’s talk about them some more.

Soffits protect the underside or a roof between the lower edge, and the adjacent outside wall. They keep moisture away from roof timbers, and prevent fingers of wind loosening the roof over them. This part of the building also goes by the name of ‘eaves’, so we can say that soffits box eaves in.

Fascias protect the ends of roof rafters protruding through. These are potential points for decay to start if they are left exposed.

Architects solve this problem by attaching protective bands called fascias to them around the building.

These evolved to an attractive design feature that doubles as the vertical edge of the soffit.

Eavestroughing completes the job of weatherproofing the edge of a roof. Also called guttering, it leads rain and snowmelt to downpipes that discharge the water into storm water drains. Their primary task is to prevent water pooling on foundations.

They also keep windows dry and make a great architectural statement too. This completes the exterior components of a house above the walls.

Siding is far more than just an attractive architectural feature. Also called clapboarding, it seals the house off from rain, and helps keep the cold outside where it belongs.Siding comes in an exciting variety of colours, textures, and materials.

Speak to us first for impartial advice and good pricing. Valiant Exteriors is here to keep the elements outside your house. We look forward to hearing from you soon.