A quick glossary
The roof edge comes with vocabulary, and the names are worth two minutes. Fascia: the board at the edge. Soffit: the panel below. Eave: the overhang itself.You will not need this vocabulary often, but it appears in every estimate, and quotes are hard to compare when you are not sure what is being described. When somebody says the channel mounts under the soffit, you now know what part of the house they are pointing at.
Why the track goes there
Permanent lighting gets installed along rooflines and eaves for reasons that are mostly practical. It is unbroken, and a run that keeps breaking looks unfinished. It is high enough to throw light down the wall, and the overhang shelters the hardware.
The direction the light points
Where exactly the channel sits is not arbitrary. Tucked underneath, the output points down. Mounted on the fascia, it reads more as an outline against the sky. Which one is right depends on the house and on what you want it to do.The eave line sets the throw down the elevation, so two identical houses can read differently based on that one decision.
Deep overhangs, shallow ones, and no overhang at all
Not every roof gives you the same thing to work with. Deeper is better for concealment, and sometimes worse for coverage. A shallow one exposes the run more and pushes the mounting decision. None of it is knowable from the street view online.
What the eave line is worth on an ordinary night
A lit eave line does real work on a normal evening. The practical version is finding your keys at the door, which sounds small until it is raining. A house with a lit edge looks like somebody lives there.
A practical scheduling note
The eave line is shared real estate. Any planned roof work changes the sequence. The sensible order is roof first, then
https://telegra.ph/Patio-and-Outdoor-Living-Lighting-Why-the-Back-of-the-House-Needs-a-Different-PlanHow-Should-a-Patio-Be-Lit-Start-With-How-You-U-09-08 gutters, then lighting, since anything installed first has to come off. It is a five second question that saves a real headache.
Two story houses raise a second question
A single story house presents one eave. A two story has more than one option. The upper roofline is the line that reads from furthest away, because it is highest and has the most sky behind it. The lower run lights the approach. Running both is common, and it can be phased.
Having your roof edge assessed
The mounting decision is made at the house, not on a phone call. EverCrest Lighting runs permanent LED lighting along rooflines and eaves for residential and commercial properties across Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina, from Greenville. Consultations are free, and the design is drawn for your house. Call (864) 252-1732 or email
[email protected].