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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.