Rotted fascia is the softening and decay of the trim board that runs along the roof’s eaves, usually behind the gutters. The most common cause is a missing or badly installed drip edge, the bent metal strip that should carry roof runoff past the fascia and into the gutter. Without it, water wicks around the shingle edge and behind the gutter. Gutters that overflow or hold water, unprimed board ends and ice at the eaves add to it. The fix is replacing the rotted wood and correcting the water path, not covering it up. This page is general information; your roofer makes the final call.
On this page: Signs · Causes · What to check · Repairs · Code basis · When to call
Signs of fascia rot
- Peeling or blistered paint on the fascia, especially behind gutter joints and corners.
- Dark streaks or staining down the face of the board.
- Gutters pulling away or sagging because their fasteners have nothing solid to hold.
- Shingles that droop at the eave, or deck edges that look dark from below.
- Rot spreading to the soffit or rafter tails.
Why fascia rots
- No drip edge, or drip edge installed with the underlayment lapped the wrong way.
- Shingles hanging too far past the metal edge, or not far enough to clear the gutter.
- Gutters that overflow or stand full of water. See our guide to overflowing gutters.
- Unprimed cut ends on fascia boards, where paint fails first.
- Ice dams that push water back under the roof edge.
What you can check from the ground
- Look along each eave for a metal edge between the shingles and the fascia. Many older homes have none.
- Look for peeling paint and dark streaks, starting at gutter seams and outside corners.
- After rain, see whether water runs behind the gutter or drips from the board.
- If you are comfortable on a ladder and have someone holding it, press the board gently with a screwdriver. Soft wood that the tip sinks into is rotted. If you are not comfortable on a ladder, skip this; we will do it.
Repairs, from small to full
| Repair | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Replace rotted fascia sections; prime the back and seal the cut ends of new boards | Rot is limited to a few spots. |
| Add drip edge where it can be slid in without disturbing the field shingles, and reset the gutters | Drip edge missing; roof otherwise sound. |
| Replace fascia, drip edge and gutters together | Rot along long runs, or gutters already failing. |
| Repair rafter tails and roof deck edges | Rot has reached the framing. |
| Install drip edge correctly at the next reroof | Always, as a code item. |
Fixes that fail: painting over soft wood, wrapping rotted fascia in aluminum without replacing it, and caulking the gap between the shingles and the fascia.
Code and research basis
The 2024 IRC, section R905.2.8.5, requires drip edge at the eaves and rakes of shingle roofs, with laps of at least 2 inches, extending at least 1/4 inch below the sheathing and at least 2 inches back onto the deck, fastened no more than 12 inches apart, with the underlayment over the drip edge at the eaves and under it at the rakes. IBHS’s FORTIFIED technical bulletin raises the lap to at least 3 inches for homes built to its wind standard.
The USDA Forest Products Laboratory states that decay begins when wood moisture content is above the fiber saturation point, about 30 percent on average, and that keeping wood dry prevents decay. Purdue Extension’s paint failure bulletin (written with Forest Products Laboratory scientists) notes that paint normally fails first at the ends and edges of boards and that a water-repellent preservative on those areas can prolong paint life.
When to call a roofer
Call when gutters start pulling away, paint keeps peeling in the same spots, or you find soft wood. Fascia rot spreads quietly into rafter tails, and that repair is far bigger. Because we handle roofing, gutters and painting, we can fix the edge, the trim and the finish in one job. Related: overflowing gutters, kickout flashing, when to replace gutters, and the full roof problems guide.
Book a fascia and roof-edge check
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. We mark every soft section on the inspection photos so you know exactly how much needs to go. Colorado Springs area: (719) 488-2800 or a free inspection. Denver metro: (303) 209-0152 or a free Denver inspection. Austin: (512) 610-5897 or a free Austin inspection. We reply the same business day.
Sources: 2024 IRC Chapter 9, section R905.2.8.5 (UpCodes); IBHS FORTIFIED technical bulletin 2016-05; USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Home Wreckers in Search of Moisture; Purdue Extension NCR-133, Paint Failure Problems and Their Cure.
