What Is Soffit & Fascia and Why Is It Important?

Siding, roofing, windows – many homeowners are familiar with the basic parts that comprise the exterior of their homes, and many are also familiar with the obvious signs that these parts might need the attention of a professional. A shattered window, after all, can't protect your home from the elements! 

However, a home is made up of more than obvious fixtures. Though they may not get as much attention, small aspects of your exterior can also play a crucial role in your home's longevity and overall appearance. 

For example, have you ever heard of fascia and soffit? 

Not many homeowners go around bragging about their brand-new soffit installation or how well their soffit facia compliments their home's exterior. But soffit and fascia are critical in keeping your home healthy and clean-looking, indoors and out, so you must know a bit about them.

Tony's Lifetime Exteriors is here to answer all of your questions. Below, we'll define soffit and fascia, discuss their respective functionalities, and further clarify why investing in quality products and services in this respect is important.

Soffit & Fascia: Your Home's Unsung Heroes

Step outside under the overhang of your roof and look up – the material you see is soffit. Fascia is the trim or border surrounding your roof and is visible once you step further into the yard. 

Some houses might have one or both features, while others have neither. Investing in quality soffit and fascia is important for many reasons.

The Soffit Allows for Attic Ventilation

Your attic needs ventilation. Otherwise, the area's darkness and moisture buildup can set the stage for mold growth. Poor-quality soffit that's bent or broken also opens the door for animals to begin to nest in your attic.

Your soffits are where the intake roof vents are installed and can help enhance airflow. This means better ventilation keeps your attic cool, saving money on air conditioning.

The Fascia Helps to Hold Up Your Gutter System

As statement-making as its appearance can be, healthy fascia is crucial to a well-supported gutter system. While seamless gutters can help, without quality fascia, they cannot do their job efficiently, thus resulting in possible water damage to your home.

Soffit & Fascia Contribute to Your Home’s Aesthetics

Appearances matter, and high-quality soffit and fascia can make a statement to all visiting your home. Low-quality products that break easily can cause visitors to infer all sorts of negative things about your home.

What Happens When Soffit & Fascia Are Damaged?

Soffit and fascia probably aren't the first things that come to mind when you go outside in the spring to give your home its seasonal once-over. You're more likely to hunt for missing siding boards or curling roof shingles. 

But it's important to pay attention to your soffit and fascia because problems with these attributes of your home's exterior can often go undetected until they snowball into other areas of your home, leaving destruction in their wake.

Poorly Maintained Soffit Can Open the Door to Roof Rot

Strip your soffit down, and you'll get a clear view of your home's rafters. These are generally made of wood, and wood, as we all know, is subject to rot when left unprotected. Your soffit acts as a barrier between your roof's frame and the elements; failing to maintain it can cause your roof's wooden planks to warp and bend. 

Nobody wants to deal with a collapsing roof, so ensure your soffit is always up to par!

Damaged Soffit & Fascia Encourage Pests to Move In

Rafters are appealing nesting places for birds and bugs alike. Defend from these pests with aluminum vented soffit and quality fascia.

Maintaining Fascia Helps Your Gutters Keep Working Properly

Due to proximity, your fascia and gutters can be closely intertwined. As briefly touched on earlier, fascia in poor condition cannot support your gutter system, which can result in water damage – specifically, in water leaking through your soffits or leaching through the soil down to your foundation. 

The best gutter system in the world is useless if the fascia can't support it (and vice versa). When your fascia is compromised, your gutters – and your home as a whole – are in danger. 

What Materials Are Soffit & Fascia Made From?

For durability and proven quality, our experts recommend aluminum or steel soffits and fascia. These are highly dependable choices that work well for all types of homes, offering dynamic long-term beauty to help increase your home's curb appeal.

What Are the Most Common Problems for Soffit & Fascia?

Naturally, anything on your home's exterior will be subjected to humidity and weather patterns, and the fascia boards and soffits can take a beating. 

While moisture damage is the biggest threat, they can also suffer from other issues like:

• Discoloration or fading

• Warping

• Cracking

• Chipping

• Peeling paint

• Dry rot

How Is the Price of Soffit & Fascia for Projects Configured?

Because every roof is different, there's no one-size-fits-all, so if you're shopping for soffit and fascia, there are a few things to keep in mind that will affect the price, including:

• How complex the design is

• Whether they're painted

• The type of material you choose

• The shape of your house

• The size of your roof's perimeter

While these are just a few considerations for planning a replacement or new construction, working with an expert in the industry will help! 

Don’t just DIY and hope you get it right; remove the stress and work with a team that offers custom solutions no matter your project size. 

Looking for Quality Soffit & Fascia Near Sauk Rapids? 

As you can see, your soffit and fascia play a huge role in the health of your entire housing system. Keeping them in the best condition means working with a trusted name in the business, and Tony's Lifetime Exteriors delivers!

We're a Sauk Rapids team of siding contractors, roofing contractors, deck builders, and window installation experts. We'd be happy to lend our vast experience to you. Send us a message online or give us a call now at 320-252-9086.