Is a roofline whose feel and function match your needs and preferences an architectural element you desire? If it is, then a good place to start is by understanding the differences between eave and Soffit. Since eaves and soffits are close together (eaves overlap soffit), confusion exists on their functionality. The good news is you are on the right site to end your confusion. Dive in for all you need to know.
Are Eaves and Soffits the Same Thing?
No. They are different despite their proximity to your roof system. An eave is located at the lower edge of the overhang extending beyond the exterior walls. On the other hand, a soffit refers to the horizontal underside of a roof eave extending beyond the exterior wall.
How do Soffits and Eaves Work Together?
Soffits and eaves, in most instances, work together for a safe and secure roofing system. Eaves in your roofing system create the need for a soffit-with two exceptions. If you prefer your roofing to look like an open rafter, then soffits will not exist. Secondly, most flat roofs have no soffits and eaves, although some can have eaves that stick straight out to protect the walls of a building.
The risks? Buildings with no eaves leave your home vulnerable to water damage. An overhang protects exposed eaves and your wall from harsh weather, birds, and pests. Birds may also nest in the underside of your roof, and this construction element prevents them from doing this.
What is an Eave?
An eave is simply the lower edge/underside part of the roof. It is part of the roof extending beyond the external walls. Roof eaves will serve both practical and aesthetic functions.
They protect your walls from the rain while helping to maintain comfortable temperatures by providing the much-needed shade to the building.
Eaves will also help define your home’s architecture, making it visually appealing. Depending on the building’s architectural style, roof eaves can be narrow or wide.
Houses with wide eaves will have the edges of the roof farther away from the walls of a building than those with narrow eaves. It is best to have a wide eave for better protection. However, if houses are close and you want to maximize light, narrow eaves will be better.
Types of Eaves
If you wonder why your roof eave is different from your neighbor’s, you need to understand that there are different categories of roof eaves. Here are the four main categories;
- Exposed/open eaves: Overhang with an exposed visible underside and supporting rafters, which you can see from below.
- Soffited eaves include soffits and connect to the bottom edge of the eave in a structure or building.
- Boxed in eaves are similar to soffited eaves in that they are enclosed. However, the difference between the two is that the walls of a building are met at the same angle as the roof pitch.
- Abbreviated eaves are narrow roof eaves as they barely overhang the siding of a building. Your architect or builder will advise on the best category for your building, depending on the walls, house siding, or other architectural elements.
Pros and Cons of Eaves
Until this point, you may still be asking what eaves do and if they are necessary. Since we’ve already discussed a few points about the functionality of these architectural elements, let’s dive in deeper.
Picture your building/house without a roof eave. What would happen when the snow and rainfalls? The walls would suffer loss. However, in the presence of house eaves, you are sure to protect your house’s external walls and foundation.
The rain and the snow will fall away from the house into the ground, leaving you with a protected structure. This protection applies in hot weather too. Wide eaves will provide shade for any interior architectural feature allowing your house to remain at comfortable temperatures.
Since security cameras and lighting have become an important component for our houses, you will appreciate roof eaves more. They provide a discreet location for security cameras and lights when attached to the Soffit.
Like everything else, eaves also come with a few shortcomings. Eaves can provide an entry point for furry and feathered friends such as wasps, birds, raccoons, among others.
A long roof extension provides a protected space that draws these furry and feathered friends to your home. You don’t want these creatures finding a home within your home because soon, they will wreak havoc.
So, what should you do? You can get repellents (store-bought repellents and decoy nests) to protect your house eaves and ensure that the eaves are clean at all times. Most importantly, pair your roof eaves with a Soffit to prevent a conducive building environment for these intruders.
Which Material is Used for Eaves?
You may be curious about which material is used for eaves. After all, roof eaves are a critical part of your roof system and may seem invincible with all they do for your house. The most common material used for eaves is wood, where most builders prefer cedar. However, eaves can be finished in PVC, wood, or aluminum.
What is Soffit?
The term ‘soffit’ refers to the underside of a roof overhang. It is that horizontal section covering the space where the edge of the roof meets the exterior wall of your house.
The Soffit encloses the underside of the eaves and is tucked away under the fascia board. The definition of ‘soffit’ extends to include one other architectural element part of the roof overhang. It can refer to the underside of an arch or anything constructed, such as stair flights.
Soffit in pipe technology can be used to reference a pipe soffit- the top point of the inside open section of a pipe or box conduit elevated at 10.4 meters above sea level.
Can you see the Soffit of your house easily as you can see the roof eave? Well, just like you can see the underside of an arch or a fascia board, you can see the Soffit of your house.
However, it would be best to be up close and standing directly underneath the roof to see that underside. From this side, you would also see the pipe soffit, which is the small pipe sticking out under the roof overhang. If your house does not have an overhanging part, don’t look for a Soffit because it does not have one.
What is the Purpose of Soffit?
Now that you know some houses lack Soffit, you may be wondering, is it necessary for my house to have a soffit? What will be its purpose? Soffits have numerous benefits, and you need to consider having a Soffit as part of your roofing system.
Soffit plays a crucial role in the ventilation of your roof system and attic space. To explain how Soffit and the attic space are related- your house’s Soffit covers the underside of the roof, which covers a top point of your attic space.
During summer, heat can build up in the attic, causing an overheated roof. With an overheated roof, you are sure to damage your roof faster as the roof shingles will break down.
The problem will then extend to the winter, where ice dams from causing water leaks. Besides proper pipe technology in your attic, you need proper ventilation to prevent leakage.
You can tell there is a water leak if the pipe soffit- the inside open section of your pipe or box conduit has water leaking from it. Who wants all these problems when they can install an underside?
Soffit will offer the proper ventilation necessary to regulate the temperatures in the attic under hot weather, preventing this long chain of problems that may follow. Soffit will also help you save a little, as an overheated attic will result in higher energy bills.
The absence of a Soffit can also cause humidity levels to rise in your attic, making your home vulnerable to mold, mildew, and wood rot. So, it would help if you got a Soffit installed to avert this future crisis.
Would your roof look aesthetically pleasing without a soffit? Well, to give you a clearer picture, you would be looking at the roof rafters at the point where the roof meets, making up the underside of your roof’s overhang without a soffit. It wouldn’t be a pleasant sight.
Soffits have a decorative purpose providing your exterior wall and side with that aesthetically pleasing finished appearance.
Non Vented vs. Vented Soffit
Vented soffits have a series of small holes covering the panels. These holes allow initial airflow to allow cooling in summer and warmth in winter for your attic space.
Choosing vented options when you have box or ridge vents in place is ideal. They work best when you have a wider eave. In a non-vented Soffit, the holes allowing airflow are absent.
Therefore, they work best with narrow eaves. You are probably asking why we would choose a non-vented soffit when we’ve just learned the importance of airflow.
Some roofs don’t require air flowing from the Soffit as they have vented gables, electric vents, and insulated attics residing directly below the roof decking.
Common Soffit Materials
Since first impressions matter, you should be careful when considering the material to use for your Soffit. After all, this material will play an integral role in your home’s appearance. The material should match your wall, fascia board, and eave look.
Wood, vinyl, and fiber cement are the three common materials. Wood will require frequent scraping and painting. It is also prone to rotting, meaning you will have a lot of repair and maintenance work.
Vinyl discolors easily and is prone to damage during hot weather, which is why most roofers use fiber cement. It will not only make your roof area aesthetically pleasing, but it will also reduce the amount of maintenance work you have to do.
Maintaining Soffit
If you selected the best material for your Soffit and had it properly installed, then the maintenance you will have to do is minimal. For proper maintenance, ensure that your;
- Gutters are clean and debris-free
- Gutters are weal sealed and correctly sized according to the roof size
- Roofing system is constantly inspected to keep away furry and feathery friends
- Attic fan works well.
Difference Between Eave and Soffit
The fact that Soffit and eave reside together in your building causes a bit of confusion. Soffit is part of the main body of eaves, but not all eaves have Soffit. So let’s compare eave and Soffit.
part of the main body of eaves, but not all eaves have Soffit. Let’s compare eave and Soffit.
| Soffits | Eaves |
| Located on the visible underside of a roof’s overhang. | Located at the edges of the roof. This part of the roof extends beyond the wall of a building. |
| They can be made from vinyl, wood, aluminum, uPVC, composite cement | They can be made from vinyl, wood, aluminum, uPVC, composite cement |
| Soffit has two parts; the siding and the vent. | Eaves have soffits (unless the house doesn’t have an overhang), fascia boards, gutter systems, and roof rafters. |
| Soffits provide; Weather protection, pest protection, ventilation, and aesthetics | The functions include; Promoting water runoff, cooling in the summer, warming in the winter (temperature control), aesthetics. |
Eaves without Soffit
Soffit is an important construction element if you do not like an exposed eave. Some people, though, may prefer exposed eaves. Proper planning is the only way exposed eaves will not wreak havoc in your home.
Eaves without soffits will make your home a favorite for unwanted visitors such as raccoons, wasps, and birds. The absence of soffits will also deny your home the ventilation it may require making it difficult to regulate temperatures. This can eventually lead to roof damage. Thus, I do not recommend eaves without soffits.
Conclusion
I hope that through this read, you have been inspired to focus not only on the interior architectural feature of your home but also on other points, such as the roofing system.
With this basic information on the features of soffits and eaves, you can make informed choices about your roofing system’s architectural style and maintenance. Still, I recommend getting the help of a professional builder or architect when making your roofing decisions. You can also conduct more research for better choices.