Why Is My Fascia Board Soft, Cracked, or Rotting?

A lot of homeowners in Washington don’t notice fascia problems until something else draws their attention. It may be a gutter starting to sag a little, or a section of paint that keeps peeling no matter how many times it gets patched. When people call CR Gutters, Inc.™ about a soft or cracked fascia board, it almost always comes back to one thing: water has been slipping behind the gutter for a while. And with our long stretches of rain, it doesn’t take much for wood to start breaking down.

Because the fascia sits right behind the gutter, it takes a hit when water doesn’t drain properly. If the gutter overflows or tilts, or flashing is missing, the wood slowly absorbs moisture and starts to soften or crack.

What Usually Causes Fascia Damage in Washington

Water sneaking behind the gutter. This is the most common thing we see. Maybe the gutter pulled away a bit, or debris built up and forced water to run backward. Once the wood starts soaking up moisture, the problem rarely stays small.

A gutter that isn’t sloped correctly. If water isn’t moving toward the downspout, it sits. And when it sits, it spills over. In drier climates this might not show up for a long time, but here in Washington, even a few rainy weeks can make the damage pretty noticeable.

Missing flashing. Flashing is one of those things homeowners rarely think about, but it does a lot of quiet work. Without it, water can run right behind the gutter. Over time, that constant drip or sheet of water works its way into the fascia.

Overflow from backups. A gutter clogged with needles, pollen, or leaves can send water right over the back edge. Most people don’t notice it from the ground unless they are watching during a storm. By then, the fascia may already be soft in spots.

How Fascia Repair Usually Works

• Replacing the damaged board. Once the wood softens, it can’t be patched. It has to be replaced with new material so the gutters have something solid to hold onto again.
• Fixing the slope. After the new fascia is in, we usually adjust the gutter pitch. A small correction goes a long way in preventing the same issue from happening again.
• Adding or updating flashing. If flashing was missing or too short, we install a proper piece so rainwater goes where it should into the gutter instead of behind it.

Most fascia and trim repairs around Washington tend to fall in the $600 to $1,500 range, depending on how much wood needs to be replaced and how easily the area can be reached.

Signs Your Fascia Needs a Closer Look

People usually spot things like:

• Wood that gives when you press on it
• Cracks showing up along the board
• Paint peeling faster than normal
• A bit of mildew forming along the roofline
• Gutters starting to angle or pull away

Need Someone to Check Your Fascia?

If your fascia board looks soft, cracked, or just not right, CR Gutters, Inc.™ can take a look and figure out what’s going on. We handle the repair work and make sure the gutters are set up correctly so the wood stays protected.

Call (253) 447-1419 to schedule an inspection. We’ll help you get ahead of the problem before it spreads.