What are the Parts of a Roof Called?

"A roof over your head" may be a well-worn expression, but do you know the different parts that make up your roof? 

No? But then why would you? Out of sight is out of mind. As long as it keeps your home warm and dry, that's good enough.

But inevitably one day you'll need to call upon the services of a professional to fix a leak, replace a tile or fit a new roofline.

So, what is a soffit? And what's the difference between a bargeboard and a fascia? This handy guide will explain all. 

1. Fascias

A fascia board is a long, straight board that is attached directly to the roof trusses along the lower edge of the roof.

Often referred to as the "roofline", the fascia is placed where the roof meets an outer wall.   

In addition to supporting the guttering, it can sometimes also supports the lowest row of tiles or slates.

A fascia finishes the look of a house and protects it from weather damage, just like soffits (see below).

uPVC fascias are now more popular than wood because they are:

• only slightly more expensive than the wood versions
• long-lasting
• easy to clean/maintain

In addition, they can be matched in style and colour to other parts of the roof (e.g soffits and guttering) for a more pleasing appearance.

2. Bargeboard

Bargeboards are just fascias that are located at the sloping end of a roof (gable end) and are there to protect the timbers. 

3. Soffit

If you look under the fascia board, you'll see the soffit board; it's the first thing you'll see at street level.

Soffits serve two important purposes:

1. They enhance the roof's appearance

2. They protect the rafters from the weather

Without soffits, the wooden rafters would suffer with condensation build-up and mould, inevitably leading to rotten timbers. A costly issue to fix.

4. Roof Valley

When two sloped roofs meet, they form a valley. The purpose of the valley is to channel rainwater down into the gutter.

Roof valleys were traditional made from galvanised metal, but today they are more commonly composed of lead, concrete or fibreglass.

5. Ridge

The ridge refers to the highest point or tip of a roof.

6. Downpipe

The purpose of the downpipe is to direct all the water collected by the guttering into the drainage system. They are often installed either at the ends or in the middle of the gutter run.

The drain pipe may also be called drain spout, roof drain pipe or leader.