Leaving eaves open

John G. · 09-26-2012, 06:19 PM

I have a 1940's bungalow in Boston, my eaves were boxed in but squirrels keep getting in! I opened them up and cleaned out everything they brought in and found a few dead ones. My question is can I leave them open and just clean them up or is that a bad idea? Any help would be great.

Leaving eaves open-forumrunner_20120926_181816.jpg

joecaption · 09-26-2012, 06:27 PM

You have a mess there. Far better to knock out the blocking and add vented vinyl soffit.
If it was mine I would use Certainteed vinyl cove moulding and beaded soffit.
That would do to things keep the old house look and give you a place to lock in the last piece of siding that looks like someone tryed to face nail and it's all buckeled on your house.

John G. · 09-26-2012, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joecaption

You have a mess there. Far better to knock out the blocking and add vented vinyl soffit.
If it was mine I would use Certainteed vinyl cove moulding and beaded soffit.
That would do to things keep the old house look and give you a place to lock in the last piece of siding that looks like someone tryed to face nail and it's all buckeled on your house.

The blocking you see is one piece running all the way to the top of the roof. I am getting the house resided, I am just confused whether close them up with mdf and cut holes and put vents in or leave them open. I know air flow is important for the attic and it is finished but old and don't want the squirels back, the ate through the siding once. Thanks for your help

joecaption · 09-26-2012, 09:33 PM

MDF for outside trim

Then replace the old soffits with alumium soffit.

Get rid of the over hanging tree limbs so they can not get back up there.

hand drive · 09-27-2012, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John G.

The blocking you see is one piece running all the way to the top of the roof. I am getting the house resided, I am just confused whether close them up with mdf and cut holes and put vents in or leave them open. I know air flow is important for the attic and it is finished but old and don't want the squirels back, the ate through the siding once. Thanks for your help

If you do not install a ridge vent the newly installed soffit vents will not really work well. Critter control will be easier with new heavy duty soffit vents also.

notmrjohn · 09-27-2012, 12:56 PM

There are many open rafter eaves, I dunno if it is style of your 40's bungalow. That blocking has to go if it reaches under side of roof and you want ventilation from under eave.. Stretch screen wire vertically back past outer wall across rafter bays down to house wall behind siding, may need some narrow blocking up top between rafters to fasten screen to. Cover screen with 1/4" hardware cloth under siding, screen door molding over top edge of cloth screen. Plenty of ventilation, no bugs, no rodents.( Sqweerell just too hard to spell)

Cut back branches if scraping roof or house, but the skwe.... tree rats gonna come across on them wires anyway.