Typical homeowners are not familiar with the components that make up your eave details or commonly known as “Roof Overhang”. Several pieces work together to keep your home dry and manage rain and snow. If done properly you have a long lasting low maintenance exterior for a lifetime. Done wrong and you will be prone to wood rot and in some cases structural repair.
- Shingles: Commonly asphalt but can be metal panels.
- Felt Underlayment: This is a layer of paper that acts as a buffer between the shingles and the wood structure.
- Sheathing: This is typically plywood or 1×8 boards that your shingles are attached to.
- Rafter: The structural components that make up your roof design.
- Sub-Fascia: The structural component that gives your finished product area to attach.
- Drip Edge: This goes under your shingles and helps direct water into your gutters.
- Fascia: This can be thin aluminum or finish grade exterior lumber that is painted.
- Gutter: This collects the water and brings it to the base of the structure through a downspout.
- Soffit: This area typically has venting to allow your attic to breathe.
- Frieze Board: This is what connects your brick or siding to the soffit giving a finished aesthetically pleasing look.
The majority of damage we see is caused by water getting behind the gutter and getting the wood fascia wet. With the gutter covering the fascia, water becomes trapped and takes much longer to dry causing rot. Most times this is not noticed until the damage is extensive. Making sure your drip edge is working properly and your gutters are not leaking is one of the most important items to prevent extensive and costly damage.