It's not unusual for customers to get a little confused about the different parts of their home's roofline.

Soffits are one part of the overall roofline section where the pitched roof meets the exterior walls of your house.

Soffits are the boards underneath the overhang of your roofline, connecting the fascias with the top of the exterior wall.

Learn more about fascia boards here.

What Are Soffits For?

Soffits are one element of the roofline that protects your home from outdoor conditions.

Obvious examples are rain and snow, but they also help to keep the wind from making your home draughty and prevent conditions like heavy fog from getting moisture from the air into your home (especially loft space).

You'll often see vents in soffits - these allow ventilation into the area under the roof itself, which is usually the home's attic.

Preventing a buildup of moisture in the loft space is important to reduce the chance of mould and mildew build up - these can cause significant damage to your home over time, and can be difficult and costly to remedy.

What Are Soffits Made From?

Most new homes have uPVC soffits, a plastic material that's usually white. It's a good choice as uPVC is cheap to manufacture, while offering excellent durability and weather resistance while also being easy to clean.

Some properties have wood or metal soffits - these are usually on older properties or those with planning restrictions applied - for example, those within designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AoNBs).

If you're looking to replace metal or wooden soffits with a new uPVC installation it's usually possible - it may even be allowed in AoNBs with planning permission.