Kansas City Wood Rot Repair

Wood Rot Repair Experts

Since poorly performing gutter systems typically lead to wood rot Gutter Cover KC has been repairing rotten fascia, soffit, and some siding since 2001.  We have refined the wood rot repair process over the years by priming cedar fascia and the matching soffit material in our climate-controlled shop, so the primer cures completely before installation.

We will also paint the primed sections of wood with the paint you provide to ensure that the color and finish match your specifications.   Our skilled technicians have the tools and the skill necessary so you can be confident that not only will the repair look good, but it will stand the test of time.

We warranty any wood repair for one full year on parts and labor.

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Start your wood repair estimate today:

What You Need To Know About Wood Rot

Having rotten wood on your home is unsightly and can be extremely frustrating and possibly dangerous. Wood affected by rot can be cracked and feel soft and crumbly with patches of fungus growth.

What causes wood rot? Should you replace rotten wood? How can you protect your home from wood rot? Do large trees around the home contribute to wood rot? And what are the preventions and solutions to wood rot?

What Causes Wood Rot?

Wood rot is decay caused by fungal growth in damp wood. Wood is porous and can easily absorb water allowing for fungal growth to start. When timber becomes damp enough to have 20% or more moisture content and can’t dry out quickly enough or it repeatedly gets wet, it creates the ideal conditions for wood-eating fungi.

Simply stated: Wood + Water = Wood Rot

Can Rotted Wood be Repaired?

It depends.

Some cosmetic nonstructural wooden features and trim pieces on your home’s exterior, with only marginal wood rot, likely don’t need to be replaced. They can be filled using a putty knife to apply a high-quality exterior wood filler and painted. Then the damage is repaired and will look great for years.

However, sometimes it’s easier, and less expensive in the long run, to just replace the wood. For example, if the rotten parts comprise 15 percent or more of the item, they should be replaced. Additionally, it’s best to replace the wood if the item is structural. To do otherwise can be dangerous and could cause part of the structure to collapse.

For wood that’s inexpensive and easy to find, it’s usually best to replace it rather than repair it with an epoxy wood filler and wood hardener.

How Do You Stop Wood Rot From Spreading?

The simple answer is: Stop the wood from getting wet and give it time to dry out. Basically, wood rot is caused by undue amounts of moisture getting into the wood. When speaking of fascia, it typically results from gutter overflow and insufficient drip edge flashing behind the gutter. The constant exposure of the wood to overflowing water causes the wood to rot. If enough wood rot occurs in the fascia, then water continues further back into the wood until it starts to rot out things like sub-fascia, soffit, and rafter tails.

How do you stop this from happening?

Stop your gutters from overflowing

There are commonly a few different reasons this happens. Below is what they are, and what to do about them.

Problem: The gutters or downspouts are undersized.

Even if the gutter is clear of debris, there’s simply not enough room for the water to get out fast enough. It overflows and gradually rots the wood.

Solution: This is a hard thing to know how to determine yourself. For help, see our page on “about your gutter systems” for the formulas needed to figure this out. Alternatively, our knowledgeable consultants can provide a free inspection to determine if your gutters and downspouts are sized correctly, and if there are enough downspouts to handle all the rainwater from your roof. If there are corrections needed, they will provide a no-obligation estimate.

Problem: The gutters are sloped incorrectly.

Everything else can be functioning properly, but if the gutters are not sloped correctly towards the downspout then the water exits by overflowing the gutter.

Solution: Ideally, you want about half an inch for every ten feet of gutter, towards the downspout. There’s such a thing as too little and too much slope. Both will cause overflow and resulting wood rot issues. Doing this yourself could be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Definitely make sure to have a friend help you and use our ladder safety guidelines to make sure you’re safe. Alternatively, we are here to keep you safe and will be happy to evaluate if your system is draining properly and provide recommended solutions.

Problem: The gutters are clogged.

This is possibly the most common source of gutter overflow. (In fact, did you know that in 2023, Kansas City is listed as second in the lead for the most tree coverage per capita in the US out of all US cities? We’ve got a lot of trees!) The gutters get clogged, the water has nowhere to go, and it backs up until it overflows the gutters. Leading, of course, to more wood rot.

Solution: Clean out your gutters thoroughly 3-5 times a year minimum. Or find a permanent solution, We recommend our exclusive Advantage Gutter Guard®, designed and patented in Kansas City for Kansas City!

Problem: Sometimes the drip edge is not installed, or installed incorrectly with the gutters.

Make sure you have sufficient and properly installed drip edge

This is a strip of flashing that is installed under the roof and goes down an inch or so down the fascia. This should ideally cover the exposed gap of fascia before the gutters begin

Solution: Look between your roofline and your gutters. If there is no flashing, then you have no drip edge. As another option, we can provide you with a hassle-free review of your guttering system and see if you need this installed. We can also install the drip edge to help protect your home from wood damage in the future.

Get Fascia and Soffit Wrap

Fascia and soffit wrap is a great choice to cover ugly wood and avoid painting again and again. The wood can be evaluated as to whether any repair is needed before adding the aluminum or vinyl soffit and aluminum fascia wrap.  Our team can provide a quote for this easy, low-maintenance option.

How to Protect Your Home from Wood Rot

Of course, most residential houses are built out of wood, so it is essential to equip your home with proper rainwater protection.

What Protects Your Home From Rainwater?

Roofing

The roof protects the interior of the house from rainwater and gets the water safely into the guttering system.

Guttering

A properly functioning guttering system plays an integral role in preventing rotted wood. The gutters channel the water away from the windows, trim, and siding. Then the downspouts, extensions, and underground drains keep water away from the foundation, basements, and crawl spaces. If these areas have too much moisture content it can lead to structural damage, more rotting wood, and respiratory illness from the accumulation of mold.

Proper flashing, caulking, and exterior painting

Even with a good roof and properly maintained gutters, when it rains the entire structure will get some moisture on it. That is why you should use flashing where needed, high-quality paint, and caulking to protect the structure.

Ground/Yard sloping

The ground around the home needs to be leveled to move water away from it rather than sloping towards it.

Do Large Trees Contribute to Rotted Wood?

The above factors are true of all homes, but they can be especially important in homes with large mature trees. Many times, these trees shade the house, keeping the sun from fully drying the home after a rainstorm.

Additionally, trees often drop huge amounts of debris and other organic matter causing the gutters to overflow, hold nasty water, and slowly drip. That uncontrolled water keeps the wood wet and the fungus growing, contributing to rotting wood.

Preventions and Solutions to Rotting Wood

Identify the causes

Remember what causes rotted wood? Wood + Water = Wood Rot. So how is water getting to the affected area, and how is it staying there long enough to cause rot? If unsure, contact Gutter Cover KC for a professional estimate.

Treat the Causes:

Does the home need a new paint job? Are your gutters overflowing or holding water? Does the fascia or soffit need to be protected by vinyl or aluminum fascia wrap? Do new extensions or underground drains need to be added to stop the water from exiting near the home?

Repair Rotted Wood

Gutter Cover KC is a qualified company that can evaluate and repair rotten wood around the exterior of the home. We can also identify and recommend solutions for the causes, This will keep the wood from getting rot again. So you won’t be stuck with another expensive wood rot repair bill.

Gutter Cover KC is happy to provide the Kansas City area with the following services to help deal with damaged wood:

• • Free expert evaluations of your rainwater control system.
  • Complete and comprehensive guttering solutions. From gutters to gutter guards to underground drains as well as vinyl or aluminum soffit and aluminum fascia wrap.
  • Wood repair on soffit and fascia boards. We can also handle exterior water damage on other areas of the home on a case-by-case basis.
  • Recommendations for other professionals: We have been in business in Kansas City consecutively since 2001. That means we know which companies will treat you right. So if we can’t fix your issues, such as a painting or a roofing problem, we’ll give you recommendations for companies we trust in Kansas City.

Give us a call today for a free evaluation of your home!