Rotting Fascia? – Family Roofing

Posted on by David Reid

CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004   FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM

 

At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

Rotting Fascia?

What is a Fascia Board?

The fascia board is the vertical board that is directly behind the gutter on your house.  It is the board the gutter system mounts to.  It is in a horizontal location near the eave where the water runs off.  Sometimes the fascia board can be confused with the rake board which runs in a gable.

Despite its importance to your home’s overall weather protection system, it gets less attention due to where it’s located until you need to do a roof repair because the boards start rotting!

Is a Fascia Board the Same as a Soffit?

The fascia board is not the same as the soffit.  The soffit mounted horizontally underneath the eave or the overhang.  It closes off the bottom of the rafter tails whereas the fascia board covers the end of the rafter tail.

What is a Fascia Board Made Out Of?

A Fascia board is usually made out of wood.  However, it can be made out of steel or aluminum.  In a residential setting, it is usually made out of wood and cladded with aluminum and vinyl siding application.  Sometimes there will be a concrete plank that is applied.  Composite fascia boards are generally uncommon.  Most of the time, they are going to be made out of wood.  Vinyl fascia boards are a common misconception.  Usually when someone refers to a vinyl fascia boards they are referring to vinyl siding.  They are all usually made out of wood and the other materials are placed over top.

What is fascia, you ask?  Fascia is trim that finishes off the front of your roof edges.  Fascia boards are an important link in your home’s weather protection system.  Although they get less attention than the roof and gutters, these three all work together to keep harsh elements from entering your attic.  Fascia boards provide a layer of protection between the edge of the roof and the outside.  They also carry the entire gutter system on a building.  Because the fascia is situated below the roof and is attached to the gutters, it is particularly susceptible to water damage, which leads to rot.  Once fascia has started to rot it can easily spread to the rafters and other roofing material.

Ineffective gutter systems are among the greatest hazards when it comes to maintaining your fascia boards.  If any of the downspouts or extensions in your gutter system are detached or filled with debris, they will not be able to effectively carry rain water off the roof and away from your home.  This causes moisture to back up into the fascia, resulting in rot.

It is best to get rotting fascia replaced as soon as possible.  If it goes untended, you could end up with detached gutters.   Gutters that are full of debris and stagnant water are heavy, sometimes even heavy enough to pull the gutters out from the fascia.

When replacing rotted fascia, keep these pointers in mind:

  • Check for compromised soffits at the same time.  Both soffits and fascia can be affected by excessive water buildup.

  •  Don’t use nails that are too large.  The boards should be secure, but extra-large nails can cause the wood to crack, allowing moisture to enter.

  • Make sure any seams in the fascia line up with the rafters to help avoid water leaks.

As always, regular maintenance is the best solution for keeping your fascia in good condition.  Have your gutters cleaned regularly to avoid buildup of water around the edges of the roof.  Remove moss and other materials that can wedge in between the gutter system and the fascia.  In order for your home to continue in excellent condition for years to come, proper maintenance is crucial.

 

Reasons for Rotted Fascia

Leaky Gutters

The most common reason why fascia boards rot is due to an ineffective gutter.  A gutter system that’s old and leaky or has an improperly aligned downspout will cause the excess moisture to back up into the fascia, which will result in rot over time. In some cases, the water might spill and drip towards the boards, resulting in the same effect.

Storm Damage

Due to its location, the fascia boards are considerably weaker than the other parts of the roof.  As a result, it’s exceptionally susceptible to wind-driven rain during a storm.  If your roof was recently damaged by a storm, don’t hesitate to call your local roofer and schedule a roof repair to mitigate and immediately address any damage the fascia has experienced.  A rotting fascia puts your home at risk to the elements and can even affect your energy usage in the long run.  When it’s time to repair or replace the roof, it’s important that you have a professional install a new drip edge and properly install a new gutter system.

Roof Installation and Architecture Problems

Fascia boards begin to rot primarily because the roof was installed incorrectly.  It may also be because the roof is old, or because it has been damaged.  If mold, mildew, or algae grows on your roof, it can attract sunlight and cause the overall temperature of your home and roof to increase.  Over time, this destroys your shingles which can allow water inside your home and around your fascia boards depending on where the shingles were damaged.  If this occurs, we recommend calling a professional who is equipped to eliminate organic material from your roof.

Gutter Issues

Gutters mounted on the fascia board wrong can cause water damage for a few reasons.  Gutter seams, corner miters, and end caps can allow water to pass through.  If the gutter is clogged, water can overflow.  If a gutter can’t contain the amount of water coming from a high volume area, water won’t be contained.  Gutters are designed so that when water overflows it goes off the front side. This is because the gutter is lower on the front. Even so, some water still ends up running down the front of the end of the gutter onto the fascia board.

Conclusion

Fascia board is considered a very essential part of your gutter system and roofing eave.  To get the most life out of these boards as possible you’ll need to keep an eye on them and act fast if you see signs of damage.  Always remember that there is no repair for rotting wood.  It will need to be replaced.