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What is a roof drip edge, and should it appear in a quote?
Drip edge is the bent metal flashing nailed along a roof's edges, at the eaves and up the rakes, that throws water off the edge and away from the fascia board and roof deck. It is part of the roof, separate from the gutter that catches the water below it. A reroof quote should list new drip edge, which edges get it and the metal it is made of.
Where does drip edge go?
Along the edges of the roof deck. At the eaves, the low edges where gutters hang, the drip edge goes on first and the underlayment laps over it, so water running down the underlayment lands on the metal and drops into the gutter. On the rakes, the sloped edges at the gable ends, the underlayment goes down first and the drip edge covers it, so wind-driven rain can't get under it.
From the ground, it is the thin metal strip between the bottom row of shingles and the gutter or fascia. Shingles hanging past bare wood with no metal under them mean there is no drip edge, and the fascia and deck edge take the water. Ask the roofer for photos of the edge before and after.
Is drip edge the same as a gutter apron or fascia?
No. Fascia is the board the gutters fasten to. Drip edge is the metal on the roof edge above it. A gutter apron is a drip edge with a longer leg that reaches down into the gutter, used where water runs behind the gutter. On a quote you will also see L-style, a plain right angle, and D-style or T-style, which has a lip that throws water clear of the fascia.
Gutters and fascia are separate jobs unless the quote names them. Ask whether the reroof includes new drip edge or reuses the old metal. If the fascia board is soft or stained, ask whether the roofer replaces it while the edge is open and what they charge per foot.
Is drip edge required?
Building codes in many places call for it on shingle roofs, and your local building department can tell you what applies to your house. Older roofs sometimes have none at all. If a reroof quote leaves drip edge out, ask the roofer why, and ask whether the permit inspection will check for it.
GAF describes drip edge as protecting the edge of the roof deck and the fascia. Water that wicks back under a bare shingle edge rots the deck edge and the fascia board, and that rot is what turns up as extra decking sheets on the next tear-off.
What should a reroof quote say about drip edge?
That it is new, where it goes (eaves, rakes, or both), the metal (aluminum or galvanized steel), the profile and the color. Check it against the other quotes: one that says "edge metal" at the eaves only is pricing less work than one with new drip edge all the way around, and the totals aren't comparable until they match.
If water runs behind your gutters now, tell the roofer before the job starts, while the edge is open. Ask whether a gutter apron or a longer drip edge fixes it and what it adds to the price.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need drip edge if I have gutters?
Yes. The gutter catches water after it leaves the roof; the drip edge is what sends it into the gutter and keeps it off the fascia. Without it, water clings to the shingle edge and runs back behind the gutter.
Can drip edge be added without a new roof?
Yes. The roofer lifts the bottom shingles, slides the drip edge under them, nails it and reseals the shingles. Ask how they will avoid cracking old, brittle shingles and what they charge per foot.
What color should drip edge be?
Match the gutters if they sit right below it, or the fascia trim if there are none. Ask to see the color chip before the order goes in.
Sources
- GAF: What is a roof drip edge? · Checked
The purpose and location of metal drip edge on a roof.
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