Water tends to always get through all sorts of roofing protection, so wouldn’t it be nice to know how much to repair water damaged soffit for when it seeps through it? With all the parts that need protection on your house, it’s pretty hard to keep track of the elements covered by other fixtures. By the time you notice that your soffits are water-damaged, you might already be faced with dozens of other things to repair that can immediately tighten your budget.
Soffits are essential for your home’s ventilation. At the same time, it adds aesthetic finishing, as well as protection for your other roofing materials. If it’s damaged, it is only natural you take the initiative to care for it.
What Is The Cost Of Repairing Water Damaged Soffit?
While costs may vary with respect to residency, repair for water damaged soffits can range from $500 to $6000, averaging about $2000. There may be a wide range of things to think about when considering getting a repair job done, affecting the cost overall. Here are some things that we hope you’ll consider looking into before starting:
Extent of damage
The first thing you’ll need to check is how damaged your soffits are. This is because, ultimately, repair and its costs vary with how far and long water has been inside your roof. There may even be cases where the damage is too much for repair that you can only opt for replacements.
Amount that needs repair
The next thing is how much of your soffits are damaged. While some water damage tends to be localized on a single spot, finding one or two areas with water damaged soffits could be a sign that there are many leaks in your roof. It’s best that you check the entire area of your overhang to find other leaks so you won’t need to replace all soffits needlessly.
Prospect type of material
Another one that’ll need your attention is choosing what repair materials to use. While this also depends on the extent of damage, some repair materials are cheaper than the rest. However, you must avoid sacrificing quality over a few dollars of savings, which can cause worse damage in the future.
Prep works
Prep works refer to all the preparation and related materials you need for the soffits and the surrounding area. You might think this is unnecessary, but this will help lessen, if not remove, any need for other repairs later on. It also includes taking preventive measures like making your soffits waterproof.
Labor
One of the least regarded constituents of any construction and maintenance activities is labor which in most times, is the highest expense. Labor also varies per area of residence and availability of skilled carpenters. Note that the more skilled the worker is, the higher you need to pay, and the more job there is, the longer the contract will be.
It’s necessary that you make a fair trade between the number of workers you’ll hire to the number of days they’ll be working on getting the job done. Pick the alternative which makes you spend less for the same outcome, taking into account the availability of each worker.
For the case where your soffits are no longer repairable and need replacement, you might need to spend about $20 to $30 for every foot. This is, of course, depending on the assessment you have on your soffits. If you’re unsure how to assess by yourself, you can always ask for help from someone in your locality.
What are the causes of soffit rooting?
The most common cause of soffit being rotten is unexpected and constant contact with water. Especially when soffits are made with wood, constant water contact could assist in accumulating mold on the soffit surface, which causes it to rot. Water on metal soffits will also lead to rusting away.
Regardless of what material soffits are made of, being exposed to water and heat from sunlight and the insides of your home will wear away on your soffit and cause them to lose integrity. This is why it’s important to pick proper and high-quality materials when constructing your home.
How to protect soffit from water damage
Water damage happens when materials not made for water contact end up getting soaked for an extended period. Since your soffits are beneath your roof, they should not be subjected to water if your roof is at its best. However, flooding on your gutter from excessive rainfall and melting snow may cause water to escape inside your roof.
Waterproofing may vary according to the base materials your soffits are made of. Steels and concrete tend to be fine as long as they are properly painted, and the same could be true for some wood. Some wood does need certain waxes that help keep moisture away before paint or varnish.
Roofing materials sold on hardware are usually already prepped for extreme cases. They are made not only to be sturdy but also water-resistant. If we assume that they’re made with the best qualities in mind, then they may only allow water damage when they are either scratched, torn, or broken along their service course.
Conclusion
Costs are incredibly volatile properties, so the details on how much to repair water damaged soffit could also vary from time to time. If you do budget well, considering our point, there should be no need to worry about too much expense. The trick is to maintain items well so they won’t need much repair and replacement.