Should soffits be cleaned?

You should clean soffit (eave) and other types of attic air intake vents at least every couple of years, if not annually. The best way to clean them is with blasts of compressed air to blow away dust, dirt and any loose insulation that may have fallen into the soffit area.

Is it OK to pressure wash your soffits?

Soffits and gutters can be some of the most difficult areas of your home to keep clean. However, using a pressure washer makes it easy to keep these hard-to-reach places looking great.

How do you maintain soffits?

By cleaning soffits with a mild detergent, grime, dirt, and pollutants are removed, preventing damage to soffit surfaces. At the first appearance of mold and/or mildew, gently clean soffits with a solution of mild detergent, water, and bleach.

How often should you clean soffit vents?

As a general rule of thumb, it is a good idea to do this one time or two times per year for all of your vents to keep them as clear as possible.

How do I know if my soffit vents are blocked?

There are two easy ways to check this. If you can get into the attic when it's dark (or bring a flashlight but then turn off the attic lights), see if you see light when looking into the eaves - if so there were openings cut. If not there were either no openings or they are blocked.

Soft-washing overhangs and soffits

How do you check soffits?

How do you clean soffits without a ladder?

There is no need to climb a ladder while clutching a bucket of water. Instead, purchase a bottle of detergent designed to attach to a garden hose for outdoor cleaning. Turn the controls on the bottle to rinse and thoroughly wet the soffit. Turn the control to wash, and ensure you coat the entire soffit in suds.

How do you get mold out of soffits?

Position a ladder in a stable position where you are able to reach both the soffit and fascia. Use a stiff brush and dip it into the bleach solution. Firmly scrub areas affected by mould.

How do you clean soffit vents?

The best way to clean soffit vents is with compressed air

Blow out debris from your soffit (eave) vents to maintain good attic ventilation. It'll save on air conditioning costs in summer and protect your roof from condensation in winter.

Why are my soffits turning black?

It occurs when a thin layer of dust settles on the paint. This can occur on vertical and even overhanging surfaces. Unfortunately, even this settled dust can act as a food source for mold, effectively nullifying the benefit of high-quality, anti-fungal paint. What is the solution?

Should you paint soffit vents?

Most soffits have metal vents for ventilation, and you can paint the vents to match the trim, but be careful not to clog them with paint. Replace clogged vents with new ones. Lightly brushing paint over the top of the vents won't clog the holes inside.

Should soffit vents have screens?

Vent holes in your soffit allow air to flow into your attic to help cool it, and soffit screens keep pests from entering via those vent holes. On many homes they are literally a screen material. Over time squirrels, mice, rats, and other pests tear through those screens for access to your attic.

What is the best way to clean vinyl soffit?

70% water, 30% white vinegar makes a great all-purpose vinyl siding cleaner that removes light mold and mildew stains. For a stronger solution, mix together one-third cup powdered laundry detergent, two-thirds cup powdered household cleaner, one quart liquid laundry bleach and one gallon of water.

How do you keep mildew from coming back?

Can you paint over mildew outside?

Never paint over mildew—it will grow through new paint, which will make subsequent cleaning and maintenance even more difficult. Wash the affected surface with a mixture of household bleach and water—three parts water to one part bleach—or with a household cleanser designed to kill mildew.

Can black mold grow on outside of house?

The most common black mold is Cladosporium, which has no known toxic side effects. This type of mold is common both inside and outside of the home.

What is the best way to clean fascia?

Start by mixing half a cup of washing-up liquid or detergent to two gallons of warm water in a bucket. To help kill mildew, add two tablespoons of bleach and mix. Carefully prop up a ladder in a secure position where you can ideally reach both your soffit and fascia, so you can clean them at the same time.

What is the best thing to clean gutters with?

A simple solution of water and white vinegar works very well for cleaning the outside of the gutters, and won't corrode aluminum. You can also make a paste with a small amount of water and cream of tartar, which will act as a cleaner and gentle buffing agent in one.

How do you clean aluminum soffit and fascia?

What is inside a soffit?

A kitchen soffit is usually a boxy structure built to hide wiring, pipes, or other mechanicals, or to fill the space between the top of your cabinets and the ceiling. Depending on the age of your home they may be very large and perhaps even extend out past the cabinets.

Is soffit connected to attic?

A soffit vent is simply a vent installed into the underside of your home's eaves (called the soffit) that permits fresh outside air to be drawn up into the attic.

Should all soffits be vented?

Soffit can be non-vented or vented to allow for maximum roof ventilation. Non-vented or continuous soffit works best when your roof has narrow eaves or if you need to ventilate a large amount of attic space.