A quick glossary
The roof edge comes with vocabulary, and the names are worth two minutes. Fascia: the vertical face. Soffit: the underside. Eave: the whole projecting edge.You will not need this vocabulary often, but it turns
https://sethiaxb099.bearsfanteamshop.com/architectural-lighting-for-homes-how-buildings-get-lit-properly-what-is-architectural-lighting-a-plain-answer-architectural-lighting-explained up in every proposal in this trade, and it is easier to compare two quotes when both are describing the same part of the building. When somebody says the channel mounts under the soffit, you now know what part of the house they are pointing at.
What the eave gives you
The mounting line is not an aesthetic preference, it is where several requirements meet. It is continuous, and a run that keeps breaking looks unfinished. Height gives you coverage, and the roof above it takes the direct weather.
The direction the light points
Where exactly the channel sits is not arbitrary. Tucked underneath, the light falls down the elevation. Mounted on the fascia, the run itself is what you see from the street. Neither is automatically better, and a designer should tell you which suits your elevation.The eave line sets the throw down the elevation, so two identical houses can read differently based on that one decision.
Deep overhangs, and houses that barely have any
Not every roof has a generous overhang. Deeper is better for concealment, and sometimes worse for coverage. A shallow one leaves less to hide behind and pushes the mounting decision. None of it can be judged from a photo.
What the eave line does the rest of the year
Set to warm white, it stops being a holiday product. The practical version is being able to see the steps, 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. If a roof or a gutter replacement is coming in the next year or two, say so during the consultation. The sensible order puts the lighting last, because the alternative is removing a run that was just installed. 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 often the answer, and it can be phased.
The next move
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, working out of Greenville. Consultations are free, and the design is drawn for your house. Call (864) 252-1732 or email
[email protected].