Moisture penetration inside a building can be detrimental to the structural integrity and aesthetics. Every time a rain event occurs, you might yourself be swinging under the sky, enjoying every bit of the show, however, if your house’s roof system is deficient of adequate cladding or is not designed to resist moisture ingress, your roof system will just experience another agony when the sky showers.
This is because during a heavy downpour, the rainwater makes every possible effort to penetrate the building interior and if that happens, you might see signs of efflorescence or paint chippings with repeated ingress of water.
So, what measures can you take beforehand to get rid of this problem or at least to mitigate it as mush as possible. One such method is using fascia boards. In this article, we will guide you about what function fascia performs as part of the roofing system and what materials can be used to serve the purpose.
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What is Meant by Fascia on House?
House roofs are generally projected beyond the exterior walls (or any supporting structure) to create what we call eaves. These eaves serve as a protection to the roofline from moisture and also create a shade for the building.
A key component of a roof’s eave system is fascia, which is a term used to indicate the provision of horizontal boards at the edge of the roofline (i.e., where the roof meets the exterior walls). These boards are termed as fascia boards and we will discuss in a while what function do they serve.
Purpose of Fascia on House Exterior
The fascia on house in provided in the form of horizontal boards, called fascia boards, that extend along the roofline to cover the entire roof periphery. The following points discuss some functions of providing these boards.
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Addressing Moisture Ingress Problems
Fascia on house can be provided for multiple reasons, however, the key concern which these fascia boards address is to prevent the ingress of moisture into the building at the level where the projecting eaves intersect the vertical walls. Doing so protects the house from water damage and also helps channel water away from the building walls.
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Enhancing Roof Aesthetics
In addition, house fascia can create a smooth, finished appearance, thereby enhancing the building aesthetics by hiding the exposed edges.
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Rainwater Management
A third purpose the fascia on house serves is to allow gutters or catch basins to be attached to collect and divert rainwater away from the roof structure. In this regard, the fascia boards serve as mounting point for draining pipes.
Difference between Fascia vs. Trim
Both fascia and trim are part of the cladding system of a house, however, there is difference between the two and we will let you know how these two are not the same.
As discussed previously, fascia refers to the horizontal boards that are placed at the junction of roofline and exterior walls and its prime purpose is to protect any form of moisture from entering the building. It is often a wider strip (unlike trim) that extends the length of the exterior walls.
Trim refers to molding or encasing pieces placed around the perimeter of windows or building edges and corners, etc. to give them a decorative look. The main purpose of providing trim is to enhance the look and make a building part prominent on the exterior. It can be made from different materials such as a metallic trim, wooden trim, vinyl trim, etc.
Both trim and fascia work in conjunction to impart aesthetics while performing their due function. However, both of them ought to be durable to function efficiently. A poorly-installed fascia is tantamount to not installing any resistant covering because it will still invite moisture to get into the building.
House Fascia Types Based on Material Used
Fascia boards are available in various materials and you can pick-choose the type to complement the look of your house. These materials include,
Wooden Boards
Wooden fascia boards can be painted to give an aesthetic look and are also durable. However, they require periodic maintenance against moisture damage and this limits their use in most of the cases when installing fascia boards for house.
Vinyl Boards
Vinyl boards are the preferred types in most of the cases owing to a number of reasons that include (but are not limited to) affordability, design flexibility, and low maintenance requirement. You can also get different colors and styles to suit your house.
Aluminum Boards
Aluminum fascia boards are lightweight and resistant to corrosion. They also require little or no maintenance and are good to go with if your area experiences harsh weather.
Composite Boards
Composite materials are those that are made by combining two different materials and utilizing their individual potential in one. Fascia boards can also be made using composite materials such as wood and vinyl boards.
The material choice for fascia boards will depend on several factors such as the durability required, aesthetic preferences, cost limitation, etc.
Key Considerations While Selecting Fascia Boards
The choice of fascia boards must not be like an arrow shot in the air, hitting short of its target. It you are up to buying these boards, we will bring into light for you the factors that you must consider.
- Based on the climate in your area, you must take into account extreme weather conditions, while you select the material for fascia boards. If your area receives frequent rain showers or it experiences scorching heat, make sure you take a note of it while buying these boards.
- The size and style of the boards must be compliant with your house exterior. The fascia must impart a coherent look and finish to your building instead of burdening it with an added feature.
- The durability and longevity of the boards must be taken into account. Afterall, whatever money you spend on making your building weather-resistant must not be an effort gone wasted.
- Budget is another important factor that will dictate which material would be the most economical within the ambit of your calculated budget for the work. For this, you need to weigh in different materials with respect to their cost and make an ultimate decision.
With all the above factors in mind, you will definitely come up with the choice of durable-cum-economical fascia boards that will elevate the look of your building and ward off your worries pertaining to moisture penetration.
