Sometimes homeowners overlook those smaller items on their homes that seem unimportant.  Did you know that each element of the exterior of your home has a purpose? Sure, some of them - like window boxes and shutters - are decorative in nature and serve to add to the curb appeal of your home. But there are others that are essential. That includes vented soffits.

The soffit is the underside of your roof - the eaves area. Soffits (in conjunction with fascia boards) cover up the exposed areas at the edge of your roof. Not only do the soffit and fascia provide a finished look and add more protection, they are also essential to keeping your roof working properly.

And most of the time - especially if you have any older home - those soffits should have vents. Adequate air flow under the roof and into the attic space serves a number of purposes:
  • Brings in fresh, cool outside air, forcing the warmer air out through vents at the top the roof or in the gable ends. This helps to keep the attic cooler and helps the home to 'breathe.' That translates into lower A/C bills in the summer.
  • Minimizes moisture build-up inside your attic space, preventing wood rot and mold. This is a crucial function here in the Twin Cities, when our summer weather can be humid. But moisture from within your home can build up in your attic as the warm air rises. Moisture is created in a number of ways indoors - from cooking, showering, and even breathing.
Often when we're tackling a roof replacement due to chronic ice dam formation, we add soffit vents to provide better ventilation in the attic space. A warm attic can mean a hot spot near the top of the roof. Snow then melts on that upper area, but the resulting water freezes at the lower edge and forms ridges of ice. Each successive snow melt makes that ice dam bigger, until the melting water has nowhere to go but underneath the roof, into your attic space, and eventually making its way into the interior of your home.

Yes, we think adequate soffit ventilation is extremely important, both for prolonging the life of your roof as well as the other items mentioned above.  Most older homes were constructed without soffit vents, but they can be easily retrofitted.

If you know your soffits don't have vents, call or text us today at 763-785-1472. We'd be happy to give your soffit and attic space an inspection and make recommendations to protect your roof as well as your entire home.

Quarve Contracting, Inc. is a licensed Minnesota home remodeling contractor specializing in exterior home improvement solutions like ice dam prevention and roof repair and installation.