Keeping an eye on your Fascia, soffit and gutterings state of repair is essential to keeping your home in good condition. As well as being the first or possibly only elements of your roof that people see when looking at your home, they also play an important role in the overall effectiveness of your roof. Unfortunately, unless homeowners spot a problem with leaks or damp, roofs are generally ignored and overlooked as part of general home maintenance. However this could be false economy for a large number of homeowners who end up with bigger problems down the line when a smaller issue could have been resolved sooner and for much less money.
Much like the cap on a bottle has to be in place in order to stop the bottle leaking, these areas of your roof need to be in good condition in order to effectively guide water away from area of your home that need to be kept dry. So to be clear Fascias, Soffits and gutters are vital parts of your roof construction; if not maintained correctly, they can allow damp ingress.
Fascias are the vertical panels that are installed on the end of the roof rafters. This means it protects the timber that would otherwise be exposed, and also gives a surface to fix your guttering to. The bottom row of tiles rests on the fascia normally, so with the combination of this and rainwater in your gutters, it is important to ensure the fascias are in good structural condition in order to securely hold this weight. If water managed to get behind the Fascia boards, it could spell disaster for your roof structure, as damp can cause rot over time, meaning there is a chance of major work being required to repair your roof.
Soffits are similar panels, however they sit horizontally between the bottom of the Fascia and the external wall. So if you look up from directly below your roof, it will be the soffits you are looking at. Also fixed to the rafters, however they don't take any weight like the fascia boards. They are important to give a finished look to the roofline, but they also can be used to control or allow airflow into the loft space, which is important when reducing the chance of condensation and damp build up.
There are a few different materials used for the manufacturer of Fascia and Soffit boards, traditional wood is used due to it being relatively inexpensive to fit, it does however require regular repainting and can very quickly deteriorate if the finish becomes damaged. That is why alternatives such as aluminium and uPVC are more widely used in modern building or for full replacements. Not only are plastic and aluminium fascias available in a variety of finishes to match existing property style, they are also extremely long lasting and low maintenance. At Green Home Energy Innovations, our most popular option is uPVC, as it provides customers a very cost effective solution for full replacement of their Fascias and Soffits.
In order to spot early signs of a potential failure in your Fascia, Soffits and Guttering, please look out for any of these 4 things, which could be a sign that something is not quite right with yours.
The structure of your guttering is very important as it is what carries the water away from your property when it comes off your roof, it should be carefully planned in combination with your Fascia boards to ensure you have a suitable base to install on to, and to allow the right gradients for correct water drainage. It is arguable one of the most important of the 3 elements of your roofline, as a large volume of water will be escaping your roof when it rains heavily. Without your guttering working effectively it's possible this water could get to other parts of your home and cause water ingress.
From estimating to installation, we'll take care of every step of your Fascia, Soffit and Guttering project - all you need to do is point us in the right direction. We're proud to work closely with trade professionals from across the country who know how to install our products and are trained in our installation methods.
