What's a "rafter helper"?

I would assume the "rafter helpers" means new "rafter tails" which are nailed to the existing rafters.

No, I don't think that is what he meant. Obviously the term is misused as a google search will show.

What I think he meant is that a new roof looks a lot better if the rafters are relatively straight and even. Sags in a roof don't look nice and cracked rafters are going to be sagging. So he is saying that the roofers will go into the attic and repair as necessary any problem rafters. That means generally you have to shore up the sagging rafters and to splice a substitute rafter. It is really very common and should be done with each roofing job.

The word I was looking for is 'sister'.

To fix your fascia you need to sister the rafters at the end so you have something solid to attach the fascia. Not easy, but somebodys gotta do it.

| >I've just found that the end of a rafter into which fascia and soffit | >are nailed is severely rotted back to the edge of the wall and am | >wondering if that is where a "rafter helper" should have been used to | >shore up that area. Fascia on that section was replaced when roof was | >done so they couldn't have missed it. | | No, I don't think that is what he meant. Obviously the term is | misused as a google search will show.

OP said

| | What I think he meant is that a new roof looks a lot better if the | rafters are relatively straight and even. Sags in a roof don't look | nice and cracked rafters are going to be sagging. So he is saying | that the roofers will go into the attic and repair as necessary any | problem rafters. That means generally you have to shore up the | sagging rafters and to splice a substitute rafter. It is really very | common and should be done with each roofing job.