Lighting Under the Eaves, Why That Spot on the House|Why the Eave Is the Right Place for the Track and What It Means for Your House|The Roof Edge Explained: Which Part Is Which

A quick glossary

The roof edge has parts with names, and the names are worth two minutes. The fascia is the vertical board along the roof edge, the one the gutter hangs on. The soffit is the horizontal surface tucked beneath the overhang. The eave is the whole overhang, where the roof extends past the wall.Knowing the words will not be on a test, though it helps when a quote uses them. So when the plan says soffit mounted, it is a location and not jargon.

What the eave gives you

Permanent lighting runs along the roof edge and the eaves for reasons that are mostly practical. The eave runs the full width of the house, which gives the light something to trace. Height gives you reach down the facade, and the roof above it takes the direct weather.

Two mounting choices

The channel can mount up under the soffit or out on the fascia, and the choice changes what the light does. Mounted under the soffit, the light washes downward across the wall, which is a wall washing effect. On the face, the effect is a bright edge. Neither is the default, and a designer should tell you which suits your elevation.Where the channel sits changes how far the light travels down the face of the house, which is a bigger difference than most people expect.

Deep overhangs, and houses that barely have any

Not every roof gives you the same thing to work with. Deeper is good for protection, and can work against the wash you wanted. With little overhang, the fascia often becomes the answer. This is exactly the kind of thing a site visit settles and a phone quote cannot.

What the eave line is worth on an ordinary night

A lit eave line does real work on a normal evening. It puts a soft wash on the approach to the house, so people can see where they are going. A house with a lit edge looks like somebody lives there.

Coordinating with other roof work

A lot of things compete for that line: the gutter, the drip edge, and the track. If a roof or a gutter replacement is coming in the next year or two, say so during the consultation. The sensible order puts the lighting last, because the alternative is removing a run that was just installed. It is worth mentioning even if the roof work is only a maybe.

Upper runs

A single story house has one line to consider. A two story has more than one https://augustqcft243.halcyonledger.com/posts/professional-christmas-light-installation-a-guide-to-hiring-it-out-should-you-hire-out-your-christmas-light-installation option. The top edge carries best. The lower run lights the approach. Running both is often the answer, though it does not have to happen in the same year.

Having your eave line looked at

The mounting decision is made at the house, not on a phone call. EverCrest Lighting runs permanent LED lighting along rooflines and eaves for homes and businesses in Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina, from Greenville. Consultations are free, and the design is drawn for your house. Reach them at (864) 252-1732 or [email protected].

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