What Is This "Feature" At the Top of the Exterior Walls

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MandMLawson
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 3:10 pm

The exterior paneling on our mobile home is degrading and needs to be replaced. There is no sheathing underneath, just insulation. I don't just want to add siding over the paneling because I don't feel it will hold the vinyl siding nails very well since the nails used to hold the paneling on are coming out (you can pull them out by hand) and many places are structurally decaying. So, I want to pull it off and replace it with plywood before putting up the siding.

The exterior wall is 8' high and that makes my live a lot easier when it comes to putting up the plywood... no cutting them to length! :D My dilemma is that the 8' extends behind the circled board in the picture below on the front and back. I've had someone suggest that maybe it is a ventilation gap for the attic. Someone else suggested that it might simple be an aesthetic feature that provides a shadow line, presumable to cut down on the sea of vertical lines. Someone else suggested that it is a fascia board to attach the gutter to.
20190826_093928.jpg
20190826_093920.jpg
I figure I have three options on how to handle the job depending on what this actually is.

1) Leave the board in tact. Cut the paneling just below it and remove the paneling. I'd have to cut all the plywood to like 7' 6" long and install it, butting up to where I cut the paneling. The vinyl siding then gets installed over the plywood up to this board.

2) Remove the gutter and remove the board (and the board underneath it ... see the second picture). I can then put up the plywood without cutting it to length. Install some flashing at the top before putting the gutters back on. The vinyl siding then gets installed over the plywood up to gutters.

3) Remove the gutter and remove the board (and the board underneath it ... see the second picture). I can then put up the plywood without cutting it to length. I would reconstruct the "feature" by putting up replacement board to match what was previously there. Install some flashing at the top before putting the gutters back on. The vinyl siding then gets installed over the plywood up to the replacement board.

So, what is this "feature"?
A) Just a decorative board and can be removed?
B) A functional fascia that needs to remain or be replaced?
C) Ventilation that needs to remain or be replaced?
D) Something else all together?

Any help in understanding this and how I need to deal with it would be greatly appreciated!
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Greg
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

My guess is that it is more of an overlap panel that does not fit right. If you are residing I would go with plywood with a z flashing to keep any water from getting behind it and just side over it.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
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