When Fascia Boards Should Be Replaced
Types of damage that may merit replacing your fascia board include:
- Moisture damage: If your fascia board was left unsealed or without trim, it might be damaged by exposure to moisture. Roof leaks, gutter clogs and other roof issues may also allow the fascia to be exposed to moisture consistently. If it is exposed to moisture, it may develop wood rot over time and become unstable. A fascia board with wood rot may give out and harm the gutters.
- Mold, fungus and algae: These three growths can infect fascia boards that are routinely wet. As well, severe mold and fungus infections on the top of the roof may spread down to the fascia board. Black stains from algae may do the same.
- Cracks: Cracks in the fascia board may develop due to exposure to changing temperatures, to water damage or simply to age. Either way, the cracking fascia board should be replaced completely.
- Animal damage: Animals can be incredibly determined to get into your attic space to seek shelter. They may chew your fascia board or make tiny gaps between it and the roof much worse. Fascia boards are also vulnerable to insects, such as termites.
- Bowing: A bent or bowed fascia board may indicate structural issues with the home, so it is important to discuss this one with your roofing team.
- Holes: Any hole in the fascia, even a nail hole, may be large enough to allow water into your attic. Small holes can be filled and sealed; but if you have large holes, you may need to replace the fascia board.
Sometimes you can repair a section of your fascia instead of replacing the entire board. For example, if only a few feet of the board have been exposed to water, your roofers may be able to cut out just that section of fascia, so long as it spans two rafters and can be safely re secured. If the board has two contact points with the rafters, it should be strong enough to mount your gutters too.
However, a fascia board that shows signs of old age, such as bowing and cracking, should be replaced entirely, even if some of it appears to be salvageable, as it may give out soon.
Is Replacement Enough?
Depending on what damaged your fascia board, simply replacing it may not be enough. It is important to ask your roofers to find and fix the underlying problem that caused the fascia damage if there is one. For example, clogged gutters may overflow and expose your fascia to moisture. The new fascia will quickly be damaged unless your fascia contractor also fixes the gutters. Other underlying problems that you and your fascia contractor may need to address include damage from termite infestation, roof leaks, algae on the shingles and more. Of course, you may also need to reach out to pest control for the termite infestation.