Maintenance of the roofline often gets neglected. People generally don’t realise how important this area is for supporting the whole roof and that it comes with its own unique challenges when repairs need to be done.
Because it’s so high up and difficult to reach, people often put off doing repairs in this area until serious damage is done. If you don’t really know your fascia from your soffits or bargeboards, here’s our quick guide to get you up to speed.
Fascia
This is one of the most easily recognisable parts of the roof support and is what the guttering is attached to. Essentially it’s a fairly wide strip of board that runs along the lower edge of the roof and is designed to support the bottom row of tiles. It’s also there to protect your roof interior from the vagaries of the weather.
Often made of softwood in many older houses, these can begin to rot due to damp if they are not maintained properly. They can also look quite unsightly once any paint begins to peel off, revealing the wood below.
Soffit
Underneath the fascia you’ll see another strip of board which is the soffit, normally at a right angle and pressed against the brick of the wall. This can be ventilated to ensure that the roof doesn’t build up condensation and helps prevent any timber decay.
Bargeboard
If you have a gable end (the triangular front or back of a house), you will have a bargeboard. This can often be decorative but basically maintains the look of the fascia and protects the support of the roof.
Boxend
Finally, there’s the boxend which joins the fascia to the bargeboard. It can also be decorative and comes in a variety of shapes which are mainly cosmetic in nature.
Many older houses have wooden fascia, soffits and bargeboards. These are usually painted and need to be maintained over time. If you look up and start to see the paintwork peeling, then it’s time to do something fairly urgently. Allowing the bare wood to be exposed to the elements can weaken the support that your fascia provides – the longer you leave it the more it’s going to cost to repair.
Maintenance involves stripping down the exposed areas and repainting it with a good primer and undercoat. This can be a difficult job because of the access issues and usually best carried out by a professional.
An alternative solution is to have your fascia, bargeboards and soffits replaced by uPVC. This is what is used for modern houses nowadays and has less in the way of maintenance issues compared to traditional wooden installations.
As a specialist roofers operating in and around Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells, we often come across situations where damage to these areas has either gone unnoticed or untreated. It’s important to keep an eye on your roof and make sure there are no potential problems. A quick wander around your property every once is a while should ensure you spot any areas of damage.
Once the paint starts to peel off areas like the fascia, you need to make repairs a priority. If you are concerned that you may have a problem, you should contact our professional and experienced roofing team today.