What are Fascias and Soffits and Why Do They Need Replacing?

When you look through our list of services you will see we offer garage door installations, add carports and canopies to homes and even change garage doors in Telford from sliding to roller shutters.  You may also notice we offer fascias and soffits services but what exactly are they and why do they need replacing?

What are fascias?

The fascias or fascia board is one of those parts of the roof that helps to keep water out of the home but isn’t really all that noticeable. Fascias are placed where the roof meets the walls of the house in an area usually known as the roofline, or often, just ‘the fascias’, despite there being a few different elements that make it up.

The fascia board is a long, straight board that is found on the lower edge of the roof.  It is fixed straight to the bottom roof beam and is the thing that the final row of roof tiles rests on to stop them sliding off. 

Fascias also do another important job – they hold the guttering in place.  And this is a tough job because there can be a serious volume of water running through guttering when there is a heavy rain storm.  In fact, the roof of a three bed semi-detached house can see several gallons of water per second fall into the gutters.

Other roofline elements

The fascias may be used as a general name for the roofline but they aren’t the only elements of it.  There are others, depending on the design of your home, that are usually present.

Soffits are always present, and these are the parts of the roofline you can see from the ground below.  These sit under the fascia board and are used to hold ventilation such as air vents.  The aim of this is to let air into the house to prevent damp and stop problems with timber decay.

Bargeboards are found on the gable end of a house so you might not have them if you are a mid-terraced property.  They are primarily a finishing element that covers up the end of the fascias and soffits to create a tidy look and also to prevent any water getting in.

The box end is the complicated looking part that works with the bargeboards at the end of the house.  It is often a funny shape and helps to ensure everything is waterproof.

When to replace fascias and soffits

In most cases, fascias and soffits are made from long-lasting materials such as PVC.  But even so, the weather can take their toll on them and mean that they do need replacing.  Also if there have been storms and debris has collided with any of the elements, there is always a potential for damage.

As they are on the roof, replacing them is a specialist job. We offer the service where we can remove old or damaged fascias and soffits and add new ones that fit in with other elements of the roofline and the house.  This keeps the house looking smart and ensures it is weatherproof.