Roof fascia gets damaged over time and you will need to replace the boards. However, minor repairs at times will suffice and you will not need to put in too much money on repairing the entire fascia system.
In this article, we will walk you through the rudimentary knowledge on roof fascia, how it gets damaged over time, and what measures can be taken both for repairing and protection from damage.
Contents
What is Meant by Roof Fascia?
Where the roof meets the outer walls of a house or building, we provide fascia boards to curtail the ingress of moisture into the building through the junction space. These boards are installed horizontally just below the roofline and cover the entire house perimeter.
Roof fascia installation is not just about preventing moisture entry into the building; these boards also serve an aesthetic purpose because they impart a finished look to your house exterior and most importantly, you can also you the space on the boards for gutter attachment.
Roof fascia serves as a mounting point for these gutter pipes that collect water and drain them away from the building.
Materials for Roof Fascia Boards
Fascia boards can be made from different materials such as wood, PVC, plastic, aluminum, etc. However, as a common practice, PVC boards are mostly installed because they are versatile in their performance.
Parts of Roof Fascia
The fascia system of a house comprises several key components that work in conjunction and complete the system. These parts of the roof fascia are discussed herewith:
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Fascia Boards
Fascia boards are the actual horizontal members that cover the roofline. You will install them just where your roof meets the exterior walls. You can use any material, however, durability is the key consideration while selecting fascia boards.
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Fascia Covering
Fascia covering refers to protecting the surface of fascia boards by preventing direct contact of water with the fascia boards. However, covering the boards is not an essential component of the roof system if the material of your boards is adequately resilient and durable.
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Gutter System
We have already discussed that fascia boards serve as mounting points for the gutter pipes. This is another purpose of installing fascia boards because they hold there pipes in place.
What Damages the Roof Fascia?
The predominant cause of damage to fascia boards, in the form of rots or surface scaling, is leakage or clogging in the gutter system. The pipes mounted on the fascia boards are responsible for de-routing the rainwater away from the building.
A blockage or leakage in these pipes will allow water to trickle on the fascia boards and with repeated cycles of water making contact with the roof fascia, these boards will rot or get abraded with time.
The following types of damages can become apparent in your fascia system;
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Damage Due to Moisture
This type of damage occurs when there is something that stops water from going away from the building. It can be a leakage in the pipe mounted on the board or a clogging in the same. Repeated exposure to moisture will make the boards unstable and in case of wood, you might see a rot on the board surface.
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Cracking
Cracking in the fascia boards may occur because of exposure to extreme weather conditions or with age. The dead weight itself is sometimes sufficient to develop cracking in the boards. These cracks are source of weakness and an alert for proceeding with replacement.
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Buckling or Bending of Boards
Sometimes the fascia boards will bend in one direction. This can be because of any lateral load or a structural problem.
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Rotting of Boards Due to Mold, Algae or Fungus
These damages are likely to occur if your fascia boards are almost always wet. These may infest the boards and weaken them over time.
Roof Fascia Repair vs Replacement
A pertinent question is how do we know that the roof fascia needs replacement or some minor repairs?
The replacement of boards must be carried out only if you see a damage that is sprawling the length of the board and in cases where the entire board is affected by damage. In such a case, you first need to consult an expert who will investigate the damage cause and suggest plausible solution.
However, if through period inspection, you see a small localized area of fascia on house getting damaged, you can repair is by trimming the affected part and connecting a new piece with the exiting part. The two pieces must be adequately secured and together they should be strong enough to mount the gutters.
How to Protect Roof Fascia Boards?
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Periodic Roof Inspections
You must inspect you roof fascia on a periodic basis to see some localized signs of damage. Doing so will help you figure out the root cause and make timely amends. The inspections will unveil the surface damages on the boards in the form of surface getting rough and scaly or getting rot.
The advantage of going for roof inspections is that the homeowners will not end up buying new boards because of existing ones getting excessively damaged. In addition, what causes the damage will also be figured out whether it is gutter systems that’s leaking or any other factor damaging the boards.
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Timely Repairs
If you become careless about what happens to your roof fascia, you will end up with replacing the entire fascia system and buying a new one. Therefore, it is important to repair a part of the roof fascia instead of letting the damage spread.
If you see a fascia board getting worn out, go for repairing it instead of waiting for all the boards to end up with the same. This can potentially expand the life of your fascia system.
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Consulting Roofing Experts
Oftentimes we see a problem hitting up but we are unaware to what exactly should be the next step. Instead of a hit and trial strategy, it is always better to consult someone who is an expert in the field. He/she will help subside your worries by answering your queries.
Given this, if your roof fascia is damaged and you think it needs repair, it is best to call in experts to help you figure out what’s causing the damage to sprawl and how can you essentially repair the boards with minimum investment of money.
