Vinyl Soffit panels are coming loose

[Danl]

 

My son purchased a home in March 2021.  Since closing on the house, he has had issues with the soffit panels in the front of his house.  I need your advice on what should/could be done to help hold the soffit panels into the J-channel.  The soffit panels are staying in place above the garage but are falling out above the porch.  Weather does not appear to be a factor.  He has pushed some of the panels beyond where they should be so that they do not fall out.  The vinyl trim under the guttering is firm.  It will only move ~ 1/8” max towards the J-channel.  What can he do help hold the panels where they belong?   Danl

 

The soffit is secure above the garage.

 

The porch soffit pushed above the J-channel.

 

The soffit falling out of the J-channel.

 

The porch soffit pushed back into the J-channel.

 

[Gunny]

Get some aluminum trim nails in white.  Tack them into the groove to the soffit above.  Not sure what is underneath, may only be studs, or may be plywood.  If studs you have to be creative and hit as many as possible.

 

It looks like the installer made them a tad too short

[Danl]

Just now, Gunny said:

Get some aluminum trim nails in white.  Tack them into the groove to the soffit above.  Not sure what is underneath, may only be studs, or may be plywood.  If studs you have to be creative and hit as many as possible.

 

It looks like the installer made them a tad too short

I thought of this fix.  So I tried to locate the rafter tails thinking I could nail into them, but all I accomplished was pushing the panel above the J-channel nailer tabs.  Danl

[lew]

I agree about being cut too short. 
 

looks like the j channel really isn’t nailed thru the installation holes but nailed thru the back into the wall. 
 

Maybe pull all of the soffit down. Pull off the j channel. Cut a strip of 1/2” plywood as a spacer behind the j channel. Renail the j channel and reinstall the soffit 

Edited August 26, 2021 by lew

[Gunny]

2 minutes ago, Danl said:

I thought of this fix.  So I tried to locate the rafter tails thinking I could nail into them, but all I accomplished was pushing the panel above the J-channel nailer tabs.  Danl

 

 

Was afraid of that.  Those are fairly easy to replace.  Get some soffit and cut it to correct size and reinstall.  Not difficult to do other than getting on ladder part.  To cut I use an old benchtop table saw with the blade in BACKWARDS.  Scribe a line and cut.  Go slow.  

 

[Al B]

14 minutes ago, Gunny said:

 

 

Was afraid of that.  Those are fairly easy to replace.  Get some soffit and cut it to correct size and reinstall.  Not difficult to do other than getting on ladder part.  To cut I use an old benchtop table saw with the blade in BACKWARDS.  Scribe a line and cut.  Go slow.  

 

i agree with this fix and definitely put the saw blade in backwards or the vinyl will shatter when

you cut.

[Danl]

Question:  Normally, should I be able to pull the panels down to remove or do I have to slide them out from one end?  Vise versa for installation?  Danl

[lew]

I think it would be easiest to find a place where the soffit is already coming out of the j channel. Then use a siding removal tool

 

to separate a section. Once you get one piece out and get some working room it should go pretty easy. 
To replace it, start at one end and work to the other end 

[Cal]

Good luck with it Danl, I think Gunny and Lew have covered it for you.  This may have been one of those projects where the installer cut one piece and then used that to scribe the lines for the rest of them, so they all came up a bit short.  If you can find out who did it, it would tell you who "not" to hire in the future.

[Larry Buskirk]

Also J-Channel is not the proper trim to use, there is a F-Channel made that mounts to the wall to prevent sagging.

It has a deeper channel than J-Channel.

[Danl]

Thank you all for the suggestions and advise.  It is too hot now to work on this project.  

Danl

[HandyDan]

From the dirt lines on the panels they look like they were cut long enough.  Check the fascia piece to make sure it is still tight to the fascia board under it.  It may be bowed away from it.

[JimM]

I'm wondering if they sagged because the span is too long, resulting in the J being pulled away.  They would need intermediate support if it's not there.

[Smallpatch]

It does look like they were long enough but the outside end is warping away from the house for what ever reason. From that dirty line they were all in there enough after they were installed.

[Danl]

26 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

From the dirt lines on the panels they look like they were cut long enough.  Check the fascia piece to make sure it is still tight to the fascia board under it.  It may be bowed away from it.

I will have to make another trip to his house but I believe all of the panels are tight under the fascia board.  I do know that the panels are tacked to the fascia board with small nails.

 

The dirty lines are ~ 1/2" from the J-channel and the soffit is tight against the end of the trusses so I am not sure of what I am seeing.

Danl

[Cal]

I am not familiar with the F channel that @Larry Buskirk mentions up above.  I did find this for you to look at:

https://www.h2ouse.org/f-channel-or-j-channel-for-soffit/#:~:text=The siding is inserted into the folded J,siding is shaped differently than the J channel.

 

You might be able to simply remove the panels and swap out that J for F and reinstall.

 

[HandyDan]

[Danl]

12 hours ago, HandyDan said:

I will take another look at it, but when I pushed in on the trim piece, which the red arrow is pointing at, it only would move ~ 1/8" max.   But, that may be enough to keep the panels where they belong.   Thanks for looking.  

[Danl]

On 8/27/2021 at 7:55 AM, HandyDan said:

I haven't fixed the problem yet, but I do know the reason for the problem.  @HandyDan, your concerns are correct.  The fascia board had moved away from the rafter tails ~ 1+".  Answer me this.  Why?  Sorry,  I do not have any pics of the gap between the rafter rail and the fascia board.  There are numerous nails holding the fascia board to the rafter tail and there are nails holding the roofing (shingles & 1/2" ply) which did go through the fascia bd which now do not.  I used a pipe clamp and pulled the fascia back into place.  When I removed the clamp, the fascia board sprung back out.  It looks like the only viable solution is to remove the +32 ft guttering, remove the AL fascia trim, re-tack the fascia bd and put the AL trim and guttering back onto the house.  The gutter is held every 24" with brackets.   I do not know what to do with the nails that pulled from the 1/2" plywood and shingles.  Perhaps, I can cut them off with a multi-tool.  Looking for  simple suggestions.  thanks 

Danl 

[lew]

If the facia board is 3/4" thick, screws, instead of nails may hold it back in place. If it is 1 1/2" thick, you may need to use some recessed lag screws into the rafter tails to pull it back. The continuous gutters won't be too bad to loosen and put back up, if you have someone to help. As for the aluminum facia trim, around here the siding dealer can fabricate needed pieces. Replacing the piece sure would be easier than pulling trim nails and trying to avoid kinking the trim.