Fascias Soffits and Guttering in Wokingham Berkshire
We have been installing uPVC roof line fascias soffits and gutters in Wokingham and the Berkshire area for many years. In fact we’ve been fitting these products pretty much from when they first came onto the market and have the ‘Swish’ approved certificates from way back!
The main reason people look towards uPVC as a replacement product is when their property is looking tired & the thought of re-painting is too tedious so having uPVC fitted is the preferred choice.
Allow me to explain things from our end, which will be vital information to you!
The original timber fascia boards and soffits to your home would have only ever been painted on the outside.
The sagging of unsupported roofing felts will, over 12-15 years from construction rot away due to having held water. In turn this rots the felt away, water then continues too slowly rot away the internal timbers (fascia boards, soffits, rafter feet).
Often the worst affected areas are at the bottom outside corners of properties with gable ends, as water enters from the verges higher up and tracks down into the box ends. This is a problem found on properties across the UK and is the main reason for sagging gutters, flaky paint and staining on soffits and fascia boards and why people turn to uPVC refurbishment as the alternative.
There are two types of uPVC refurbishments available. The first being the complete replacement if all existing supporting timbers are deemed to be too rotten, in which case the correct 16mm thick uPVC is required to support the stress loading of the roof tiles. This is vital as again and again we’ve seen contractors fit 10mm thick uPVC, even on new builds only for sagging of the gutters to occur due to the weight of the roof tiles!
Once your property has been correctly inspected internally, digital photographs will be taken enabling you and us to view and discuss our findings with you as to the condition of the existing timber. We can then advise and recommend either full replacement or the second option of capping over the existing fascia, soffits, and barge boards and replacement of gutters & down pipes.
This second option is the most common choice as it’s much cheaper, quicker and once completed looks exactly the same as if you have had the whole lot replaced. In fact, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference!
It’s also rare that the exterior of a property has been left so long where complete replacement is a must. Also older properties timber is of a much better quality than that of the fast grown timber today, another critical factor!
Before I move on, please remember one thing, it is crucial that felt support trays are correctly fitted along with built in ventilation & bird stopper combe, all of which is built in to a variety of felt support options available.
If you have the new uPVC products fitted and you do not have the correct felt support trays fitted, the water ingress will merely continue and cause much bigger issues as the uPVC products are waterproof but the timber that it’s attached to isn’t and eventually you’ll have to have the whole lot removed and replaced!
As fitters we’ve seen customers mis-sold entire refurbishment of uPVC products time and time again. So don’t get caught out and do not allow flexible DPC membranes to be used as felt support trays as anything that rolls up cannot be naturally supportive to the existing felt.
You must ensure that felt support trays are fitted.
We will show you what a felt support tray does or you can go online and research them. Without these trays you will find yourself in real trouble!
