Upgrading your home’s exterior doesn’t just give it a new look, it can also prevent costly repairs down the road. Here are our top warning signs that can signal it’s time to fix or replace certain elements.
Soffit & Fascia – Soffit is the material on the underhang of your roof, and let’s face it, we rarely look at it. But it plays significant role in your home’s overall look, and provides ventilation to your roof while keeping critters out of your attic.
Fascia attaches to the soffit, connecting it to the roof. It also serves as the main support for eavestroughs and gutters. When these fixtures need to be replaced, you’ll often notice a few warning signs. We always recommend you have a qualified professional verify that it’s time for a replacement before spending any money.
Signs include:
- Pests or Rodents – Yes, it’s gross, and finding critters in your home may also mean your soffit and fascia are not doing their job.
- Cracking, Bubbling, or Flaking Paint – This can be a sign of structural or functional damage. A professional will be able to examine your soffit and fascia and let you know if it requires partial or full replacement.
- Lack of Ventilation – Proper ventilation ensures reduced heat, moisture, and condensation build-up in the attic that can cause rot. If you think there’s a ventilation problem with your soffit, contact a professional. They can assess whether the soffit is damaged or clogged and whether it needs to be replaced.
- Sagging or Leaky Eavestroughs – Your eavestroughs are usually attached to your fascia, so keep an eye out for saggy or leaking gutters that can indicate the eavestrough support system is failing. Again, contact a professional to assess whether they need to be replaced.
Eavestroughs – A leaky eavestrough can also be a sign that your eavestroughs need to be replaced. Some other signs to look for include:
- Rusting or Holes – Rust doesn’t just look bad, it can indicate the material is beginning to degrade. Eventually, this can lead to holes if they aren’t already present.
- Mould Formation – If the gutter system isn’t working properly, the water won’t drain properly. This can result in mould or mildew that can spread to other parts of your home’s exterior.
- Separation Between the Gutter and Fascia – When eavestroughs don’t drain properly, they can overload with water. When the gutters get too heavy, they can begin to pull away from your home. This can also be a sign that debris has built up inside the gutter.
- Overflowing Water – Water regularly flowing over the edges of your eavestroughs indicates a problem. Your eavestroughs could be too small for the amount of water they deal with, debris could be clogging the gutters, or you could be dealing with an even larger problem.
In all these cases, the most cost-effective course of action is to contact a professional before diving into costly repairs or replacements. Sometimes a professional might recommend a different route to save you both time and money.
