What is a soffit in construction?
Exterior soffits
On a house, the exterior soffit closes off the bottom of the eaves between the fascia and the wall. It is framed off the rafter tails or with lookouts nailed to the wall, and covered in wood, vinyl, aluminum or fiber cement. On most Georgia homes it doubles as the attic's air intake through perforated panels or vent strips. Soffits also show up under porch roofs, cantilevered floors, and the undersides of balconies and stairs.
Interior soffits
- Kitchen soffits: the boxed section between the top of the wall cabinets and the ceiling, common in homes from the 1970s through the 1990s. Some are empty; others hide ducts or a vent pipe.
- Mechanical soffits: dropped sections along a hallway or basement ceiling that hide supply ducts, drain lines or a steel beam.
- Decorative soffits: tray ceilings and recessed lighting coves.
If you plan to remove an interior soffit during a remodel, cut a small inspection hole first, since many hide pipes, wires or ducts that would need rerouting.
Why the exterior one matters to your roof
The exterior soffit sits just below the gutter and drip edge, so roof edge problems show up there first: peeling paint, rot, sagging panels and stains. It is also where animals get into attics and where ventilation intake begins. When soffits are solid, vents can often be added during a roof replacement. See roof anatomy explained and roof ventilation basics.