Drip Edge: The Small Roof Detail That Prevents Big Damage

What drip edge actually does

Drip edge is a thin L-shaped piece of metal that runs along the eaves and rakes of your roof. It sits on top of the decking and tucks under the first course of shingles. Its job sounds simple: force water to drip away from the fascia and into the gutter instead of wicking back behind it.

When it works, you never think about it. When it is missing or bent wrong, you get rotted fascia boards, dark streaks on your siding, and slowly failing sheathing at the edge of the roof.

Why missing drip edge is so common on older homes

Older roofs often have no metal drip edge at all. The shingles simply overhang the fascia, and builders trusted the shingle edge to shed water cleanly. That works for a while, but as shingles age and curl, water starts running behind the edge and into the gutter system from the wrong side.

By the time a homeowner notices peeling paint on the fascia, the damage is already years in.

How drip edge should be installed

At the eave, drip edge goes down first, under the ice-and-water shield or underlayment. At the rake, it goes on top of the underlayment. The shingle first course should overhang the drip edge by about a half inch so water drips cleanly away.

It is not expensive. Most drip edge is pre-painted aluminum in white, brown, or black. On a typical reroof, drip edge adds a few hundred dollars and decades of protection.

When to ask about drip edge

If you are getting quotes for a reroof, ask specifically whether drip edge is included and what color. If you are dealing with fascia rot or gutter pulling away, have a roofer check whether drip edge was ever installed in the first place.