The Advantages of Eaves on the House

Eaves make up the part of the roof that extend beyond the wall.

Eaves are both a design and a practical consideration when building a house. Houses built in different design styles have eaves of different sizes -- but in all cases, an eave helps protect the house underneath the roof. Ultimately, its function is an extension of the roof's, which is to help protect the home from the elements.

Weather Protection

Siding, stucco or paint on a house can all easily be damaged by hail. Eaves help provide a certain amount of shelter from hail and from other debris that might be hurled around by strong winds. Of course, the roofing on the eaves may become damaged as a result of this protection, but this is often less of a problem, and less costly to replace than large siding panels or a window that could otherwise be damaged.

Shade

The sun is something that slowly but surely ages your house. The sun's ultraviolet rays fade your paint and siding over time, and the less shade your house has, the quicker this process occurs. Eaves help slow this process down by providing some shelter from the sun to your walls. This also helps reduce the amount of heat absorbed by your home, which makes it more energy efficient in the summertime.

Shelter

Wide eaves provide shelter for people as well as the house. You may choose to build a path around the exterior of a home, allowing you to get to the back door without getting wet if it's raining -- if you have sufficient protection from your eaves. Eaves may also cover the front step so that people waiting to be let in are protected from the rain. This also provides practical protection from moisture for a mailbox attached to the house.

Drainage

In addition to the eaves, most houses are equipped with an eaves trough. This is a gutter that runs along the length of the eave to collect water that runs down off the roof and the eave. The water then flows down the trough and is delivered into a rain barrel or diverted away from the house through a drainpipe. This helps keep water away from the foundation and the house, preventing soil erosion and basement flooding.

References

• Builder Bill: Roof Basics
• Platinum Home Building and Renovation Services: Eaves and a Comfortable Life
• Consumer Build: Why Homes Leak: Risk Factors
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Avoiding Basement Flooding

Resources

• Realtor.com: Repairing Fascia and Eaves Damage
• Roof Helper: Typical Parts of a Roof
• RoofHelp.com: Sloped Roof Anatomy