The Soffit Gold Standard: A Civilized Defense Against Fire

When it comes to protecting your home from wildfire, one of the most overlooked — yet critical — details is the humble soffit. The soffit is basically, any finishing material, that is installed to cover the underside of your roof overhang. But all materials are not equal when trying to protect your home from a wildfire, and it is an important component to consider since once a fire breaches the soffit and enters the attic, the rest of the house tends to follow in rather dramatic fashion.

In less fortunate homes, vinyl soffits melt at the mere whiff of high heat. Aluminum ones hold out a touch longer, until around 700°C, when they too make a quiet exit.

The gold standard would be the drywall-backed steel soffits. They offer a dignified but determined resistance to fire — precisely the sort of quality one appreciates when the stakes are quite literally blazing. This becomes especially important if your siding isn’t fire-resistant. In that case, the soffits become your home’s last, best line of defense — the butler at the door saying, “I’m afraid you’re not on the guest list, Mr Fire.” Steel soffits backed with fire-rated drywall offer a robust defense, creating a critical barrier that can buy valuable time and protect your structure when every second counts.

Example of a steel soffit backed up with drywall