The Historic District

Hello,

I'm looking for advice on how to handle an issue as well as some education on roofing terms.

Our house roof has four gable ends. There is also an overhang roof that runs horizontally at the base of the gables forming a triangle. What is this called?

The previous owner had aluminum soffit and fascia installed when she had the house roofed 6 or 7 years ago. Where the fascia (or flashing?) meets the horizontal roof there is a large gap. I can see birds have built nests inside this cavity and I'm guessing this is where our bats and occasional bird are gaining entry into the attic.

I first want to tape some screening up there to let the bats out before sealing the whole gap. What would be the best method to close this gap?

Thanks!

Brandon

I forget what that's called, but its a very common feature on the gable ends of Greek Revival houses, topping the column-look corner board treatment.

To seal that gap ideally you want to use flashing wrapped up under the edge or some sort of screening. Dont try to foam or caulk it up tight (never a good idea on horizontal gaps) as it will trap water.

I don't remember either & I just spent 15 minutes trying to look it up!

It's called an eyebrow roof. I would think the best fix would be to wedge an aluminum screen into the gap, this will keep things out but let water drain.

Ah! This seems familiar! I had just posted last week about squirrels nesting in my eaves using that eyebrow as an entrance. Home ownership!

Most definitely big enough to let bats in. Just looking at it, there isn't any way the eyebrow roof has settled, is there? That's a pretty big gap, I'm surprised they were that sloppy when installing the aluminum.
Me? I think I would totally seal it up with something. (extra wide caulking?) It seems that if water does get under there (if you screened it) it would get back in there, get into the other roof's structure, get trapped by more aluminum... doesn't seem like a good plan. When I had some alterations done to my previous house, the window guy had a caulking gun that laid down a seam of caulk about 3/4 inch thick around my soffits. (not something he was hired to do, but I also had critter problems)

I have this same problem on my house. For me, its when they removed the fish scales from that sloped part that is covered in roofing shingles now, and it sits much lower than the original setup did, and since I'm removing the siding, I'm forced to leave a bit of siding over those corners for now until I can put back fish scales on that sloped part.

I was taught the term for that is "pent roof".
Casey

Casey wrote:I was taught the term for that is "pent roof".
Casey

That's what I thought it was too but couldn't find it when I searched yesterday!

I have no idea what it is actually called but it is not an eyebrow roof of the type I am familiar with. That is one of those small convex roofs that surrounds a small window (often a dormer).