Roof Soffits Are Wet

You may see water dripping behind the gutters or you may notice that your soffit is wet.

Roof soffits are wet.

Soffits are the horizontal boards that fit under the eaves of the roof. 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. Eventually the fascia soffits and even the roof sheathing will rot.

Athe water dripping from your soffit is a definite warning sign. Damage is also caused by birds and squirrels nesting inside eaves. 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.

They cover exposed rafter tails and can serve as part of a house s attic ventilation system. 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. You re on the verge of having water come into your home. If you determine water is leaking through the soffit you must take specific steps to stop the leaks and keep your attic dry.

If you have gutters but no gutter apron to stop the water it will wick behind the gutter. With good venting air flows up through the soffit vent and along the underside of the roof into the attic. And once water has seeped in the rot spreads quickly because the wood stays soggy inside the dark dank space. First fix your roof.

Soffit repair doesn t begin with the soffits. Soffited eaves and gable overhangs are susceptible to water damage caused by ice dams improper flashing torn shingles and faulty gutters. This cools the attic in the summer and flushes out moisture in the winter. It mixes with attic air and flows out through roof vents or a ridge vent higher up.