.sometimes it's the side of the house also... Each side has it's elements that it's exposed to....
The sun is usually shining bright on the south side of my house, and not as much on the north... The snow melts faster on the south because of the stronger sun's rays on that side...
So a house will have one side with heavy sun, and the other with more moisture which can make the wood rot faster than the other sides...
My grandpa had this house custom designed with 4 foot overhang on the roof... You can walk all the way around the perimeter in the rain and not get wet... It helps shelter the windows...