The differences between fascias and soffits, bargeboards, box ends and guttering is something that often confuses homeowners, and not surprisingly as it all tends to look much of a muchness unless you know what each piece does. As a way to quickly spruce up the exterior, replacing (or just plain cleaning) all your roofing addendums is a great way to get a good looking house once again. They’re also vital for keeping your house dry and pest free, so it’s well worth keeping an eye on them. Check out our handy reference list below on what each piece is, and how it helps keep your roof protected:
BARGEBOARD
The bargeboard helps seal the rafters on the gable end of any house (the bit that goes up into a point). All along that edge, just below the roof and looking like a flat piece of uPVC, the bargeboard protects the space between the rafters holding your roof, the wall, and the roof itself.
FASCIAS
Not to be mistaken for soffits, fascias are the piece that runs behind the guttering. Placed along your roof edge, with guttering on top, fascias not only help protect your rafters from damp, rot and crafty birds looking for nests, they also help support roof tiles.
SOFFITS
Some of the confusion around soffits is that not every house has them. Essentially there to protect the underside of the roof edge, they can be seen on the overhang of your roof (stand under it and look up). They sit, at right angles, to the fascias, helping to create a water-tight seal that protects your roof interior and rafters.
BOX END
A big square bit that joins the bargeboard on the gable end, to the fascias and soffits on the rest of the house. It helps join the two different sections together, while concealing all fixtures and edges with a water-proof trim. Helps form part of the seal that runs around your entire house.
If the paint on any of these pieces is flaking or peeling, it’s a good indication that you need to invest the time, effort (and occasionally money) on some repairs. Flaky paint can be sanded back to smooth and refinished, an annual requirement for timber soffits and fascias.
Leaking gutters mean that the water they’re supposed to direct safely away from your house walls and roof, is suddenly going places you don’t want it. Always prioritise your guttering, keep it clean of obstruction and ensure it’s not full of holes, it could mean damp patches spreading into the interior of your home.
Modern fascias and soffits as well as roof addendums are made from uPVC, designed to be hardwearing and able to cope with exposure to all the elements the UK weather can throw at it. It’s important that they’re correctly installed; gaps can result in costly repair bills if the damage caused isn’t spotted quickly enough. Guttering is hung to ensure water is directed to the downpipe and not standing still, making it at least a two-man job and a rather technical one at that.
Luckily, unless you live in a conservation area, or a listed building, planning permission isn’t required to replace fascias and soffits, giving you leave to repair or replace as required. For those in the Oxfordshire region, why not give us a call for a quote on any roofing requirements you may have. Covering Chinnor to Wallingford to Haddenham and beyond, we have over 15 years experience in fitting fascias and soffits in the area, so call now for your free, no-obligation quote.
