Soffits
Technically, a soffit is the underside of any element of a building. The word originates with the Latin suffigere , meaning “to fix underneath.” So we have ceiling soffits, stair soffits, and even cornice soffits. The most common soffit , however, is found in the area under the eaves on the exterior of the house. The soffit extends from the side of the house to the edge of the eave and closes the space beneath the eave.
Soffits provide that finishing touch to your home and keep birds and bees from nesting in your attic. They conceal the unsightly framing of your home, while still allowing proper circulation of air into the attic to ventilate your home.
Squirrels and birds can damage a soffit , since they like to nest in the space behind soffits if they can find a point of entry. Bees, hornets, and wasps do not actually damage a soffit , but when they build a nest behind a soffit , they present a problem for the homeowners.
Homeowner Beware! There is a large disparity in the quality of installation and methods of installation of soffits. Many people think, how hard can it be? But it’s those finer points that can make the difference between a great installation and your soffits falling out on a windy day, or the J-channel pulling off of the building, or just having things look cheap and amateur.
An unventilated, overheated attic can be improved with ridge vents and soffit vents. Because heat rises, the hottest air is exhausted through the ridge vents and cooler air is pulled in through the soffit vents. If air circulation is poor, an attic fan can be used to increase air movement.
Soffits come in Aluminum, Vinyl and Hardi-Panel. Contact us for a free, no obligation evaluation and to discuss your all your options.