Roof Soffits Are Wet

First fix your roof.

Roof soffits are wet.

Soffits are the horizontal boards that fit under the eaves of the roof. If you determine water is leaking through the soffit you must take specific steps to stop the leaks and keep your attic dry. They cover exposed rafter tails and can serve as part of a house s attic ventilation system. With good venting air flows up through the soffit vent and along the underside of the roof into the attic.

Soffited eaves and gable overhangs are susceptible to water damage caused by ice dams improper flashing torn shingles and faulty gutters. In some cases the soffit might be the point of entry for water seeping into your attic instead of the roof s surface. It mixes with attic air and flows out through roof vents or a ridge vent higher up. Athe water dripping from your soffit is a definite warning sign.

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. This cools the attic in the summer and flushes out moisture in the winter. Soffit repair doesn t begin with the soffits. The most likely source of trouble is ice buildup on the edges of your roof.

Once water seeps through worn shingles or under loose flashings it ll run down rafters or roof boards and puddle on the top side of the soffit boards. Eventually the fascia soffits and even the roof sheathing will rot. 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. The soffit is the surface that sits under a roof s overhang sitting parallel with the ground below.

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. You re on the verge of having water come into your home. You may see water dripping behind the gutters or you may notice that your soffit is wet.