The roofline is a very important part of your exterior home style. The wooden fascia board is a particularly important style element. The board is perhaps the most visible part of your roofline because it makes the edge of the roof. Since the fascia is usually a contrasting color with the rest of the roof material and the exterior walls, it is highly noticeable. Since it is exposed to the sun and rain, it is also particularly vulnerable to fading, warping, and water damage. Basically, it is very important that you keep up your fascia boards. This article explains preventative measures you should take to protect your fascia.
Keeping Your Wood Sealed
The key is to keep your wood sealed. Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell whether or not your wood is fully sealed. Even if the existing paint looks bright and solid, there is a chance that water is penetrating right through it. It is even harder to tell if your wood has a clear coat on it instead of a solid paint job. As such, there is often no visible way of telling if your wood is sealed. First of all, you should try to keep track and record whenever your wood is sealed. If your fascia hasn't been sealed for many years, it is definitely a good idea to reseal it.
Using Sealant or Waterproof Paint
If you are going to repaint your fascia with a solid paint, make sure you use an exterior grade paint. Many people try to get away with using flat interior paint because they prefer the low-sheen finish. However, this offers very little protection from moisture and the colors will fade much quicker. The other option is to use a flat paint, and then seal it with a clear stain. But, this is just much more work for the same result. The clear stain will leave a slight sheen on the paint, so it will basically look identical to the same paint color in an exterior grade.
Patch Holes ASAP
You also need to make sure that you immediately patch any holes as soon as you see them. Even the smallest holes can let water and termites into your fascia, compromise the structure and finish.
Basically, you need to always keep an eye on your fascia boards. They are easy to maintain if you find and fix problems before they become too severe. For more information, talk to a company like Jerry's Roofing.
