Homeowners are typically inundated with many maintenance and repair tasks to keep their property in good shape. While many people focus on cleaning their façade and manicuring their lawns, they often ignore the soffit and fascia, which runs along the edge of their roofs. These two aspects are essential to the home’s exterior and perform many more functions than merely improving the appearance.
The fascia is the board where the home’s outer walls meet the roof, sitting right vertically. Meanwhile, the soffit is the material that overlays the eaves or is the area where the rafters protrude beyond borders. While they may look like design elements, they protect your home from pests, especially those that try to invade it. It also provides ventilation for your home’s attic, as the soffit allows air to pass through while sealing the room from animals.
Materials for Soffit and Fascia in Ottawa
To ensure you maintain and repair your soffit and fascia, you’ll have to know the materials they use. These were typically made from wood or aluminum until recent years when it was overtaken by versatile synthetic products and composite materials like UPVC and vinyl. They have proven to be sturdier and easier to maintain than wood or aluminum, requiring less care than the traditional options. They’re also more affordable, making them even more appealing to homeowners.
Many have used vinyl for fascia and soffit because they are flexible, making it easier to match the home’s style and design since they come in many colours. Some vinyl soffits even offer wood grain textures to mimic real wood’s appearance. Other vinyl soffits are beaded or smooth, allowing homeowners a broader range of options when choosing a style for their home. Modern manufacturers are now producing soffit and fascia from recycling materials, making them more environmentally friendly.
Properly Installing Your Soffit and Fascia
It is crucial to install your soffit and fascia correctly, as doing it improperly will result in costly problems down the line. Ensure that you hire soffit and fascia repair in Ottawa to do the job correctly, which will help you avoid such issues in the future. These professionals can waterproof these materials, adding further protection to them. They can also install the flashing and rain gutters around your roof, ensuring that water runs off properly and doesn’t damage, cause rotting, mildew, and mould problems in your roof.
Maintaining Your Soffit and Fascia
Storms and heavy rainfall can often cause problems to a home’s exterior, causing debris to fly under the eaves and allowing water to collect, leading to water damage and mould issues. The soffit is meant to prevent the rain from penetrating the rafters and roof boards, making maintenance essential. Without a properly maintained soffit, you may risk having to pay for expensive repairs.
As a part of routine maintenance, many homeowners clean their gutters during the spring and fall seasons. These are also opportune times to inspect your soffit and fascia, allowing you to identify and signs of wear and tear, peeling, and damage from the elements. You can also use this time to look for insect nests that have made their way in your roof, like wasp, hornet, or bee nests, which can endanger your household. You’ll have to make sure that all materials in your fascia and soffit are correctly sealed, caulked, and painted to provide proper protection. Doing so will help extend the life of your soffit and fascia, which can be quite costly—although worthwhile—to replace.
Conclusion
Taking care of your soffit and fascia is crucial in maintaining your home. These design elements not only create a cohesive look for your home, but they protect it from animals, insects, and the elements. By maintaining your soffit and fascia, you can help prevent water damage from causing problems.
Gillespie Handyman offers handyman services in Ottawa, including soffit and fascia repair. With our affordable services, you can count on our skilled team to make you fall in love with your home again. If you need a hand, get in touch with us today for a free quote!