Essential Questions to Ask Yourself Before Getting Fascia Repair or Replacement in Palm Harbor

Palm Harbor, Florida, has its fair share of rainy days. From the beginning of June to the end of September, Palm Harbor residents can expect many hot and muggy days. These wet and humid conditions aren't much fun for anyone, and that includes your house. In fact, those are the common conditions that often contribute to your need for fascia repair in Palm Harbor.

Fascia is often an unnoticed area of homes. Located along the side of your roof, wooden fascia boards take a pretty good beating from the elements. They’re great at what they do, but they can only hold their own against Florida weather for so long. Stained, peeling, and rotting boards aren’t just an eyesore—they’re also a safety hazard.

If you need fascia repair in Palm Harbor, FL, a professional Palm Harbor handyman can help you out. Mr. Handyman serving Palm Harbor, Clearwater, and Largo, only hires the best carpenters and handyman professionals, so we can guarantee that your fascia repair will look great and last a long time. But before calling in the professionals, there are some questions you should ask yourself to determine whether a fascia repair is all you need or whether more comprehensive replacements are needed.

1. What are Soffits and Fascia?

Both your fascia and soffits are components of your roof, but if you’re not sure exactly what part of the roof they make up, you’re not alone. Fascia is that horizontal trim that connects right where your gutter touches your roof. If you were to touch your gutter and then trail your hand from front to back, you’d run into the fascia. The primary purpose of fascia boards is to provide a barrier between the rain-filled gutters and the edge of a roof. In other words, fascia is like the protector of your roof’s edge. Because it is placed at a roof’s edge, it is clearly visible. Therefore, it tends to play a decorative role in the overall aesthetic of a home as well.

Soffits extend from the side of your house to the edge of your fascia. Because they’re placed facing down, the soffit acts like the bottom of your roof edge. Unless you’re standing right underneath it and looking up, you likely won’t notice your soffits. For this reason, its design is plain and functional. Small holes perforate soffits to help ventilate your attic space and encourage air circulation.

Knowing what's what is important for determining which needs to be repaired or replaced. More often than not, it is the boards that need to be replaced. Due to being made out of a wooden board, they are more susceptible to wood rot.

2. What is Causing the Damage?

Damage to fascia boards is most often caused by water and moisture. When wood is exposed to UV rays and rain, it can begin to rot. Depending on your climate, you may either see dried-out and warped boards or damp boards with rot or mildew. A Palm Harbor fascia repair professional will generally paint fascia boards with a durable primer to help protect them from the elements. However, this primer needs to be regularly touched up to do its job, requiring routine maintenance and repairs. To protect boards from water damage, you can also add a fascia trim—an aluminum covering that repels water.

Water damage is by far the most common cause of damage for both fascia boards and soffits. Other possible causes include:

Animal and Insect Infestations. Fascia and soffits make a cozy living place for small rodents, birds, and various types of insects. To check whether this is the case at your home, look for abnormal debris and atypical holes on soffits. If you suspect there may be a critter or creepy-crawly nearby, simply put a decent amount of space between you and the area of concern and watch. It won't take long for you to see them come and go.
Cracks and Holes. Any time you spot a crack or a hole in a fascia board, you can bet that it’s not doing its job. Even a tiny hole can be enough to allow water to enter your attic space.
Fascia Bowing. The most concerning sign of damage is a bowing fascia. A house with structural problems can shift and cause boards to bend. If you think you may have structural problems, contact a Palm Harbor fascia repair company right away.

3. How Extensive is the Damage?

Determining the extent of damage will give you an idea of the amount of work that will have to be done by a Palm Harbor fascia repair specialist. If just a single segment is warped or rotting, your handyman may be able to just cut out that part and replace it with a new board.

However, in most cases, all boards reflect the same amount of damage. Because they’re often damaged by water from heavy rains and humidity, all boards tend to be equally affected. If your soffits are also damaged, you’ll need to have both replaced.

4. Are the Gutters and Surrounding Area Clean and Damage-Free?

If your fascia is the only component of your roof that is damaged, a simple Palm Harbor fascia repair may be all that is needed. But if your boards are in need of repair due to age, it may be that your roof and gutters are ready for replacement too.

Gutter Cleaning and Repair

The role of gutters is to transport water that flows from your roof away from your house. When gutters become clogged, the water will overflow. Clogged gutters can contribute to fascia damage. Fortunately, your local Palm Harbor fascia repair professional can also take care of gutter cleaning and repair while meeting your needs for fascia repair.

An aging gutter may also show signs of rust and deterioration, causing it to pull away from your roof. This is a sign that it’s time to get the gutter replaced. Consider replacing your existing gutters with seamless gutters to reduce the chance of developing leaks and clogs.

Roof Repair

If your shingles have just about reached the end of their life, fascia repair in Palm Harbor, FL, may be best accompanied by roof repair. The most common type of roofing material is asphalt, but it's also the material with the shortest lifespan—only 10 to 20 years. Many people opt for asphalt roofs because it has the lowest upfront cost, but it often costs homeowners more in the long run. Wood shingles and shakes last a bit longer at 25 to 40 years, while metal roofs typically last from 40 to 60 years. At the highest end of the spectrum are clay and slate, which can last a century or more. If you're scheduling an appointment for Palm Harbor fascia repair, it works to check to see if you also need roof repairs.

5. What Material Should I Choose for Fascia in Palm Harbor, FL?

In residential buildings, fascia is typically made out of wood. You can use almost any wood you’d like, but some common options include:

Spruce
Pine
Fir
Redwood
Cedar
Cypress

The most economical options are spruce, pine, and fir, but they’re also softer woods and will be more susceptible to water damage. However, if you plan to paint your fascia or add an aluminum fascia trim, these are perfectly reasonable options for fascia repair in Palm Harbor, FL.

If you prefer a natural wood look, redwood, cedar, and cypress may be better options. As harder woods, they’re more durable and don’t need much more than a sealant to protect them.

For soffits, vinyl is standard. Some homes opt for a wooden soffit for aesthetic purposes. If you have a very large overhand or rustic cabin-style home, a wooden soffit may be worth considering. Keep in mind that, like wood, they're prone to rotting and require regular maintenance to keep them in great shape.

6. What Tools Are Required for Fascia Repair?

Fascia repair requires some basic tools, as well as some specialized tools. Some of the basic tools include:

Measuring tape: This is often a custom job. The boards need to be made to measure the existing roof of your home.
Roofing nails: Used to secure the new boards in place.
Nail puller: To remove the old boards, any tool that can be used to pull nails is required.
Safety glasses: Old boards are usually rotted out, making their removal a little more tricky. It’s unlikely that boards will come off in one piece. Instead, they’ll come off in fragments and splinter. Safety glasses prevent these splinters from hitting your eyes.
Ladder: To reach the boards.

In addition to these basic tools and supplies, your roofer will have the following:

Nail gun: A professional Palm Harbor fascia repair professional will have a nail gun to get everything in place efficiently.
Saw: To help remove old boards and cut new ones to the appropriate length, some type of electric saw is required.
Sealant: Moisture damage prevention is all about keeping the water out at all costs. Specialized sealants for metal and wood will be used to prevent any water from getting in between the nails, joints, and trim.

7. What Are the Steps Involved in Fascia Repair?

After hiring a handyman for fascia repair in Palm Harbor, FL, you can expect them to complete the following steps:

Step 1: Existing Fascia Inspection

In advance of providing you with a quote, your expert fascia repair handyman will take a look at your existing fascia. This will help them determine the extent of the problem, prepare the required amount of materials, and provide you with a cost estimate for the job. There is no standard fascia width or height, so they’ll need to take measurements to make sure they choose the right replacement.

Step 2: Gutter Removal

Because the gutters are attached to the fascia, the whole thing has to come down. To avoid damaging the gutters, the handyman will remove them first. They'll be reattached to the new fascia unless you're having your gutters replaced too.

Step 3: Fascia Removal

To avoid any additional damage, the handyman will gently pry the nails from the fascia. Once removed, they’ll start measuring and cutting new boards. Depending on the contractor, one large board per side may be installed, or they may cut a single piece up into several segments to make installation more manageable.

Step 4: Fascia Installation

In this step, the new fascia gets installed. After being placed, the handyman will use caulking to fill the seams between each wood panel. Fascia trim is also added and sealed at this stage. Once dry, the fascia can be primed, stained, painted, and/or sealed.

8. Should I Call a Fascia Repair Professional in Palm Harbor?

Unless you’re a professional carpenter, you shouldn’t be thinking about repairing the fascia boards on your home by yourself. Fascia boards provide structural support to your roof, as well as protect your home from water damage. This isn’t something you want to risk not getting right!

With a professional Palm Harbor fascia repairs company like Mr. Handyman serving Palm Harbor, Clearwater, and Largo, you can be sure that your fascia repair job is performed efficiently and correctly and will therefore last you for years to come.

Choose Mr. Handyman for Fascia Repair in Your Palm Harbor Home

Mr. Handyman serving Palm Harbor, Clearwater, and Largo, is proud to provide expert Palm Harbor fascia repair throughout many nearby areas, such as Palm Harbor, Belleair Shore, and Treasure Island. Over the past 25 years, Mr. Handyman has made a name for himself as a leader in the professional handyman industry. We attribute our success to our dedication to achieving total customer satisfaction. To reflect this, we offer a full workmanship guarantee.

If you’re ready to book your Palm Harbor fascia repair appointment or have any questions, feel free to contact Mr. Handyman serving Palm Harbor, Clearwater, and Largo. We can’t wait to show you why so many satisfied customers choose Mr. Handyman!