So I just bought a house. Woo. But I know nothing about handy man stuff. Boo.
Below the roof soffit is a metal strip that had fallen or been wild-animal-peeled off which I knew from the inspection. Haven't rushed on it because frankly I don't know what to do and figured a few weeks won't hurt.
So, my question; it doesn't look like flashing to me because my understanding is flashing has a lip underneath something and a lip outside, this I believe just was placed in the corner of the soffit running along the wall/soffit crease to seal that crease from intrusion.
How do I place this back on; is it by nailing into studs? Screwing into studs? Taccing onto the siding? Caulking into place?
If it's not flashing, what is this strip called? Am I rambling nonsense to which that strip might be several different things and it's not clear from my description what it is?
Best Answer
Its just trim molding, to hide the cut edge of the soffit where it abuts the wall.
It should be re-attached for both appearance and critter protection. You can add some foam insulation, which will help seal the edge.
A bead of exterior caulk, then the molding, then another bead if there are any gaps in the molding-to-wall or molding-to-soffit,
Use 1" to 1 1/2" hot-dipped galvanized 4d finishing nails and try to hit structure underneath. If you are a tool hound, this would be a good time to get a small air compressor and an 18 ga finish nailer. Tell your wife you can inflate her tires and the kids basketballs/footballs. I've expanded from 18ga nailer to 15 ga nailer, crown stapler, 16d framing nailer and strip flooring nailer, all with the same pancake compressor.