Soffit / Fascia / Eavestrough

The Soffit, Fascia and Eavestrough around your house all serve a different purpose, besides being esthetically pleasing.

Soffit

Soffit, or the underside of the eaves allows air flow (when vented) into the attic space of your home.

During the winter months the cold air is drawn in, pushing the warm air out through roof vents to help avoid the escalated melt off of snow. This helps reduce the odds of ice damming which could potentially cause a leak.

In the summer months this helps prevent a build up of extremely hot air in the attic, which can lead to premature deterioration of the shingles.

A wide variety of colours help to enhance the visual appearance of your home.

We can help assess whether there is adequate ventilation into your attic. Between the number of roof vents, whether the soffits are properly vented or whether additional insulation is required.

Fascia

Fascia is the flat horizontal band around the edge of the roof.

Sometimes, this is exposed wood which gets weathered and needs to be maintained (e.g. painted). by cladding the fascia board in aluminum, again with a variety of colour options, it becomes maintenance free.

Usually, but not always, the fascia and soffit are the same colour.

Eavestrough

The eavestrough and downpipes play a critical roll in moving water off your roof and away from your foundation when it rains. In the past few years 5″ eavestrough has become the standard from 4″. There is also 6″ eavestrough available on the market now.

There are three keys to a properly functioning gutter system:

  1. Proper slope
  2. Adequate number of downpipes
  3. Keeping the trough and pipes clear of debris.

At Roof Pro we install 5″ or 6″ seamless eavestrough systems with large square pipes and once again, in a wide variety of colour selection.

Gutter clean system

Do you hate the unsavory job of cleaning your eavestrough? You’ll never have to again by installing a gutter clean system.

Made from perforated aluminum, it can be installed ‘retro fit’ on an existing eavestrough or when installing a new eavestrough becoming part of the fastening system. Available for either a 5″ or 6″ eavestrough, a gutter clean system performs 3 different functions:

  1. Increases the strength and rigidity of the eavestrough
  2. Protects the eavestrough from the assault of snow and ice
  3. Prevents clogging from leaves and debris

We can install a gutter clean system when we are installing your new roof, installing your eavestrough or on its own.

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Choosing a Roofing Contractor

Choosing a Roofing Contractor

When it comes to choosing the right roofing contractor, there are many things you should consider before making the final decision. Your roof is protecting one of your most valuable assets (your home), so it’s important to make the right choice when it comes time to repair or replace.

  1. Are they fully insured to protect you the homeowner in the event of accident?

    ie. ladder through window, etc.

  2. Are all their employees covered by a W.S.I.B. Certificate?

    If they’re not and someone falls off your roof, the onus then falls onto the homeowner.

  3. How long do they guarantee their work?

    Any professional roofing contractor should be offering at least a 10 year guarantee.

  4. How long have they been in business in your area?

    Will they still be around if problems arise in the future.

  5. Do they have an office or storefront?

    There are a lot of “Roofers” who operate their business out of a truck with a cellphone. A professional roofing contractor will have a storefront with a sign and will be easy to find!

  6. Do they use quality materials from a reputable supplier?

    The last place you want to use “cheaper” material to save a few dollars is on your roof, which protects your total investment inside your home.

  7. How long will it take to complete the job?

    Is a job that should take one day going to drag on for a week? Are they going to take 3 hour lunch breaks?

  8. Are they quick to respond to your call?

    If it takes three phone calls and two weeks for them to come look at your roof, what will happen if you have a problem down the road.

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Ice Damming

Ice dams can cause major damage to the interior of your home. The best time to do something to prevent this from happening is when you are having your roof done, by properly preparing the roof deck.

Ice dams are formed by the continuous melting and refreezing of snow on the roof. This is caused by heat escape, usually due to lack of insulation or the backing up of frozen slush from the eavestrough. Water from the melting snow flows under it until it reaches the unheated soffit area and refreezes. This causes a dam where it can easily push back up under the shingles and cause water to enter the attic causing damage to the interior walls, ceiling, insulation and of course the roof deck.

To reduce the likelihood of this occurring, consider doing the following:

  • Keep the attic space cold by insulating it to prevent or reduce the amount of heat loss from the interior of the home, which in turn can melt the snow on the roof.
  • Installing baffles when insulating to ensure air flow at the eaves.
  • Ensuring that the eavestrough is lower than the roof line to allow snow and ice to slide off.
  • Ensure the eavestrough is free of debris by regular cleaning or by installing Gutter Guard.
  • Installing at least 3’ of ice and water shield at the eaves of all heated roof decks in conjunction with a metal drip edge or eavestarter. This creates a watertight envelope at the eaves above the eavestrough and greatly reduces the odds of an ice damming leak.

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