Sloped roofing systems have an overhang between the top of the exterior walls. With the exception of certain home styles, this overhang is covered by soffits. In today’s post, storm damage restoration company Genesis Roofing shares a look at what soffits do for your roof.
Roof Ventilation
Sloped roofs feature a ventilation system that consists of exhaust vents at the ridges and intake vents at the soffit area. The exhaust vents allow hot and humid air to escape passively, as heat tends to rise. This creates negative pressure that pulls cool and fresh air through the soffit vents. It’s important for a roofing installer to make sure that the soffit vents match the ridge vent size. If the soffit vents are too wide, hot air would dissipate to other areas and would not create air movement. If the soffit vents are too narrow, it wouldn’t let enough fresh air into the attic.
Clean Look
With the exception of certain home styles like Craftsman-style homes, exposed rafter tails need to be covered by soffits to create a clean look. Soffits typically match the trim colors, though this is not a hard and fast rule. You can choose practically any soffit color, as long as it complements the roof, siding, and trim. If you are choosing vinyl or other options with factory-applied colors, this is a decision you must make before having them installed.
In addition to vinyl, residential roof replacement contractors offer soffit made from aluminum, wood board, and fiber cement, all of which can be painted after installation. When choosing your soffit material, keep in mind that it is going to be exposed to the same conditions as your roof and siding and should, therefore, be as durable.
Attic Protection
There are a few other reasons why the overhang between roof edge and exterior shouldn’t be left open. One of these is that it leaves the attic accessible to small animals, as well as dust and windblown debris. Another reason is it can give wind enough purchase to pull the roof from the rest of the house. Soffits act as a barrier that protects the roof from such problems.
Genesis Roofing is your leading provider of roof leak repair and other roofing services. Give us a call at (515) 202-1667 or fill out our contact form. We serve customers in Clive, IA, and nearby areas in Iowa.