Homes With Long Overhanging Roofs

Located about two hours northwest of philadelphia this three bedroom time capsule was constructed in 1960 with gently sloping low slung overhanging roofs and long horizontal lines.

Homes with long overhanging roofs.

Overhangs can vary in width from a few inches to several feet. A house with a generous roof overhang provides an extra layer of shelter and protection no wonder it looks more welcoming. No only does a roof overhang protect a facade from the ravages of weather it also can act like an awning to shade a patio or deck. This leads to a situation where there is an excess amount of shade and the exterior of the home appears dark and gloomy.

It s also possible although much rarer for roof overhangs to be too wide. Most homes these days have boxed soffits but i find that a bit of creativity at the roof edge goes a long way toward style. On sheds and homes overhangs are commonly referred to as eaves or rakes depending on where they are located. Even if most people don t register what it is that makes a home seem special using a sloped soffit is an easy way to make a home look old or built with more craftsmanship than typical new homes.

A house with improper overhangs can overheat in the summer can suffer from water entry problems at windows and doors and can have premature siding rot. In the first case the overhang is simply too big for the home. The most common design error is to make roof overhangs too stingy.