What is soffit and fascia on a house?
How the pieces fit
Picture the roof edge in cross section. The rafters or trusses extend past the wall to form the overhang. The fascia caps the ends of those rafter tails. The soffit closes the bottom of the overhang. The drip edge sits at the top of the fascia along the roof's edge, and the gutter hangs on the fascia just below it so roof water drops into the gutter instead of behind it.
What each one does
- Fascia: supports the gutter, protects the rafter ends from weather, and gives the roof edge a finished line.
- Soffit: keeps animals and weather out of the rafter bays, protects the rafter tails from below, and provides attic intake when vented.
Common materials
- Wood: pine, cedar or plywood on older homes. Needs paint to last and rots when gutters overflow.
- Aluminum or vinyl: aluminum coil bent over wood fascia, with vinyl or aluminum soffit panels. Low maintenance, though the wood underneath can still rot unseen.
- Fiber cement: boards and panels that resist rot and insects.
How they relate to the roof
Most fascia and soffit problems start at the roof edge. When drip edge is missing or a gutter is clogged, water runs behind the gutter onto the fascia and soaks into the soffit. Rot there lets the gutter pull loose and gives squirrels an easy way in. A roof replacement is a good time to check the fascia, since new drip edge goes on over it. See drip edge explained and roof anatomy explained.