By EA Paint & Light Carpentry7 min read
At a glance
- Usual cause
- Gutters, drip edge, ice dams, roof leaks
- Gutters
- Must come off for the repair
- Order of trades
- Roofer, carpentry, gutters, then paint
- New fascia
- Prime every face, or use PVC
What causes fascia boards to rot?
Fascia rots when water repeatedly soaks it: gutters that clog and overflow behind themselves, a missing or short drip edge that lets water run down the back of the gutter, ice dams that push meltwater under the shingles, and roof leaks at the eave. Unpainted cut ends and failed paint let the water in faster.
Fascia and soffit: what they are
The fascia is the vertical board along the edge of the roof, at the ends of the rafters. On most houses the gutters are fastened to it. The soffit is the horizontal underside of the overhang, between the fascia and the wall, and on many houses it holds the vents that let air into the attic.
Because they sit right where water leaves the roof, both are among the first parts of a house to rot. They are also hard to inspect from the ground, so rot often goes unnoticed until a gutter sags or an animal moves in.
What causes rotted fascia boards
Almost every case comes back to water getting behind or onto the board and staying there:
- Clogged gutters that overflow, spilling water down the back of the gutter and onto the fascia
- Gutters pitched the wrong way, so water sits in one section instead of draining
- A missing or short drip edge, so roof runoff wraps around the edge and down behind the gutter
- Ice dams that back meltwater up under the shingles at the eave
- Roof leaks at the edge, or damaged shingles at the first course
- Bare cut ends and peeling paint that let water into the grain
- Old aluminum wrap over wood fascia that traps water against the board and hides the damage
Ice dams: the Massachusetts factor
Ice dams are one of the main reasons fascia and soffit rot in New England. Heat escaping into the attic warms the roof deck, snow melts on the upper roof, and the meltwater refreezes at the cold eave. The ridge of ice holds back more water, which backs up under the shingles and into the eave, soaking the sheathing, the fascia and the soffit from the inside.
Repeated freeze-thaw winters do this over and over, and the damage shows up later as peeling paint and soft wood at the eave. Replacing the fascia repairs the result. The cause is usually attic insulation, air sealing and ventilation, and sometimes the roof edge itself. In Massachusetts, a home energy assessment through Mass Save is one way to have the attic looked at.
Tip: Heavy icicles along the same stretch of roof every winter are a good clue to where the eave is taking on water.
Signs your fascia or soffit is rotting
Fascia and soffit problems tend to show first at the corners of the house, at the low ends of gutter runs where water collects, and below roof valleys, which channel a large share of the roof’s water to one spot. The north side and any eave shaded by trees stay damp longest. Start there.
Look from the ground with binoculars, and from a ladder only if you are comfortable on one:
- Paint peeling on the fascia, especially behind or below the gutter
- A gutter pulling away from the house, sagging, or with loose spikes or hangers
- Dark water stains or streaks on the soffit
- Soffit boards that sag, have separated or have holes
- Squirrels, birds or insects going in and out at the roof edge
- Wood that feels soft when probed with a screwdriver
What fascia and soffit repair involves
The gutters come off first. Fascia cannot be properly replaced behind a gutter, so the estimate should say who removes and rehangs the gutters, and whether the existing ones are in good enough shape to go back up. Old, dented or poorly pitched gutters are sometimes better replaced at the same time by a gutter installer.
The rotted fascia is then cut back to sound wood or replaced in full lengths, and the wood behind it is checked. Many houses have a sub-fascia or exposed rafter tails, and if those are soft the job becomes a larger framing repair that should be scoped and priced before it starts. Rotted soffit boards are replaced, and soffit vents should stay open so the attic keeps its air supply.
The replacement can be wood or PVC. PVC fascia does not rot and is a common choice here; wood is used where it must match existing detailed trim. Either way, joints are made over solid backing and the gutter is rehung with the correct pitch.
If the fascia is covered in old aluminum wrap, expect the wrap to come off so the wood can be seen. Wrapped fascia often looks fine from the ground while the board behind it is soft, and the true extent of the rot is only known once it is exposed. A good estimate says how that possibility will be handled.
How far does the damage go?
The scope of a fascia repair depends on how deep the water got. Probing the board, then looking at what is behind it once it is off, sorts most jobs into one of these:
Peeling paint, wood still sound
- Likely scope
- Scrape, prime and repaint
- Who handles it
- Painter
Soft fascia, solid wood behind it
- Likely scope
- Replace fascia sections, rehang gutter
- Who handles it
- Carpenter, with the gutters handled
Soft fascia and soffit boards
- Likely scope
- Replace both, keep vents open
- Who handles it
- Carpenter
Soft sub-fascia or rafter tails
- Likely scope
- Framing repair before new trim
- Who handles it
- Carpenter, scoped separately
Wet roof sheathing or failed roof edge
- Likely scope
- Roof-edge repair first
- Who handles it
- Roofer
When it is really a roofing problem
If the shingles at the eave are damaged, the drip edge is missing or installed wrong, or water is coming in under the roof at the edge, that is roofing work, and it needs a roofer. We do not do roofing. A painter or carpenter can replace the fascia and soffit, but if the roof edge is what is letting the water in, new boards will rot the same way.
The usual order is: roofer first for any roof-edge issue, then carpentry, then gutters, then paint. Getting the trades talking before the job starts avoids taking the gutters down twice.
Some signs point to the roof rather than the trim: water stains on the attic sheathing near the eave, damp insulation, shingles that are curled or missing along the first course, or a drip edge you cannot see at all from below. If any of those turn up, have a roofer look before the carpentry is scheduled.
Painting after the repair
New wood fascia and soffit should be primed on every face and every cut end before it is installed, not just on the face you can see. Once installed, fill the nail holes, caulk the joints that should be sealed, and finish with two coats of exterior paint. PVC can be left white or painted following the manufacturer’s instructions.
On a house built before 1978, the old fascia and soffit paint may contain lead. Removing and cutting painted boards at the roof edge makes dust and chips that fall onto the yard and garden below, so ask how the area will be contained and cleaned up, and ask the contractor for their lead-safe renovation credentials.
When you get an estimate, ask for the carpentry to be listed and priced separately from the painting, the material named, and a clear note on how hidden rot behind the fascia will be handled if it turns up.
Talk to a local crew
EA Paint & Light Carpentry is a painting and light carpentry company based in Northborough, MA. If you would like the house looked at, call (508) 466-5846 or request a free written estimate. Related services: Exterior Painting, Light Carpentry & Wood Repair.
