Do you see those brightly painted pieces of timber hammered at the ends of the roof of your house? They play a much important role than aesthetics. The fascia boards’ primary purposes are to keep moisture from entering the roof and support the gutters. Although built of tough kind of wood, fascia boards are continually exposed to weather and moisture. It is therefore not surprising that they get damaged. But how do you tell that they are damaged?
An inspection by a fascias repair company can help you find the issues and suggest the best repair methods. Some of the things they’ll look out for include;
Tell-tale signs of fascia damage
Discoloration
One of the obvious signs that a fascia board is damaged is discoloration. Discoloration in itself doesn’t warrant fascia repair. It usually indicates that some damage is going on behind the coat of color. A leak may have sprung up, and water is soaking into the board. Water distorts the vinyl finish. A waterlogged fascia board is useless since it will rot out with time.
It would be best if you also looked out for chipping paint. While chipping may look like a purely cosmetic problem, you should remember that paint shields the board from moisture. Peeling paint indicates that your boards are prone to water damage.
Drooping gutters
Fascia plays the role of supporting your gutter system. If you see drooping in some sections of the gutter, then there’s a high probability that your fascia boards are damaged. Leaking gutters also indicate there’s some issue with the fascia.
Rodents droppings and signs of nesting
Inspecting your attic once in a while is another way to detect fascia damage. Breaking fascia creates a break in the roofline. Rodents and even birds will burrow into the house through these gaps created by rotting. When inspecting your attic, lookout for any signs of nesting or rodent droppings. Listen carefully for strange sounds coming from your attic or walls because they may be coming from birds, rodents, and pests.
Ice dams
Inspect your fascia for damage in case you had an ice dam removed from your roof. If you’re familiar with ice dams, you know that they form close to the shingles’ lower rows. Water runs down when the ice melts and freezes again close to the lower roofing edge. Ice dams are widely known for wrecking shingles but may also harm your fascia and gutters. The formation of ice dams is typical with fascia damage.
How to repair damaged fascia boards
Here is how to repair those damaged boards.
Things you will need.
- A ladder
- Wood saw
- Hammer
- New fascia board
- Measuring tape and pencil
- Body filler
- High-quality outdoor wood primer
- Nails
- Putty knife
Steps
Start by getting rid of the old damaged fascia boards. Unscrew, then remove the brackets to unfasten the gutters. Lift the gutter off the boards carefully not to damage them. Put them away. Measure 3 feet and make a line with a pencil. Continue until the required length is achieved. Make cuts along these lines with a saw-all and ensure the cuts extends in between the rafters.
Hit the boards with a hammer to get them off your house. Hammer swings should steer away from the home front.
Measure the new board and mark the intervals with a pencil. Cut the new fascia board along the pencil marks with a circular saw. It is also important to make pencil marks where the rafters meet up with the boards for accurate nailing.
Bring the board up to the rafters with the hand you don’t often use. For example, if you’re right-handed, bring the board up to the rafters with your left hand and vice versa. Nail one or two nails with a hammer along the pencil rafter lines you made in step number 3. Nails will secure the new fascia boards in place.
You have to secure the seams created by the new boards with a body filler. Body fillers are available in your local hardware stores. Apply the body filler along the seams and over the nails using a putty knife until the seams have been completely filled. Give the filler a day to set and dry.
We mentioned that moisture is the main culprit for damaging fascia boards. Apply one to two coats of primer over the boards to gourd against moisture. Paint the board after the primer has dried.
Fascia boards are essential to the well-being of your house. Learn to observe the damage signs and use the repair method outlined in this article to keep your fascia boards in good shape.
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