Rotten Fascia Boards: Repair or Replace?

How to spot rot

• Paint that flakes however often it is redone
• Wood that feels soft or crumbles
• A gutter sagging away from the house
• Dark stains on the soffit

What causes it

Almost always water: a leaking gutter joint, an overflowing run, or felt at the roof edge that has perished and lets rain behind the gutter.

Why capping is a false saving

Fixing plastic over the old board hides the rot but does not stop it. The timber underneath keeps decaying and eventually cannot hold the gutter.

Replacing properly

The old boards come off, the rafter ends are checked, and new fascias and soffits are fitted with the gutter re-hung at the right fall.

uPVC or timber

uPVC needs no painting. Timber suits older houses and lasts well if it is kept painted. Either way, keep the soffit vents so the loft can breathe.