Leak Through the Soffits

Observation

• During a rainstorm or as snow melts from your roof, water should not leak directly out of the soffits. The soffits are located directly under the roof overhang and should be protected from moisture by the roof. If you see leaking through the soffits, have a contractor look at your roof immediately.

Leaking

• The water leaking through the soffits is coming from somewhere on your roof. To find the source of the leak, you need to look at the roof from your attic. The water could be leaking from anywhere on the roof, and looking at the shingles does not help you find the source. The extent of the damage to the roof depends on how long it has been leaking. A trained professional can help you trace the leak and tell you what needs to be repaired on the roof.

Considerations

• Roof soffits are important for several reasons. Soffits keep animals and insects out of your attic. A rotted soffit can be breached by squirrels and birds that decide to nest in and chew on the attic insulation. Soffits keep weather out of your attic. Rain, snow and high winds would all cause extensive damage to the roof without soffits. Damaged soffits do not provide a reliable barrier to the elements and can accelerate water damage to your roof and ceilings.

Cost

• If you have wooden soffits, consider having them replaced with materials that do not rot, such as vinyl or aluminum. According to Home Inspector Today website, having aluminum or vinyl soffits installed can cost anywhere between $3 and $8 per linear foot as of 2011.