Roof Soffits Are Wet

Soffit repair doesn t begin with the soffits.

Roof soffits are wet.

First fix your roof. Eventually the fascia soffits and even the roof sheathing will rot. If you determine water is leaking through the soffit you must take specific steps to stop the leaks and keep your attic dry. Soffit problems are almost always caused by leaky roofs or leaky gutters that ruin the roof edge.

And once water has seeped in the rot spreads quickly because the wood stays soggy inside the dark dank space. Damage is also caused by birds and squirrels nesting inside eaves. When water flows off the edge of your roof some of it clings to the underside of the shingles and dribbles toward the fascia. Athe water dripping from your soffit is a definite warning sign.

The most likely source of trouble is ice buildup on the edges of your roof. With good venting air flows up through the soffit vent and along the underside of the roof into the attic. Soffits are the horizontal boards that fit under the eaves of the roof. The word soffit is derived from the french language and literally means something fixed underneath it s most commonly used around a building s main roof but soffit can also be used under porches under arches or columns under a flight of stairs pretty much anything that has a visible ceiling.

Soffited eaves and gable overhangs are susceptible to water damage caused by ice dams improper flashing torn shingles and faulty gutters. They cover exposed rafter tails and can serve as part of a house s attic ventilation system. You may see water dripping behind the gutters or you may notice that your soffit is wet. This cools the attic in the summer and flushes out moisture in the winter.

In some cases the soffit might be the point of entry for water seeping into your attic instead of the roof s surface. Over time this could cause your home s wooden roof deck to rot and the paint on your fascia and soffit to crack and deteriorate. You re on the verge of having water come into your home. It mixes with attic air and flows out through roof vents or a ridge vent higher up.