What Is Drip Edge on a Roof, and Does Your Home Need It?

Drip edge is the thin metal strip that runs along the edges of your roof. It sits under the first row of shingles and bends down over the top of the fascia board. Its job is simple: steer rainwater off the roof and into the gutter, instead of letting it curl back under the shingles.

What drip edge does

• Keeps water off the fascia. Without it, water runs back along the underside of the shingles and soaks the fascia board behind the gutter.
• Protects the roof deck edge. The outer edge of the plywood deck is the first wood to rot when water gets behind the shingles.
• Guides water into the gutter. The lip of the drip edge drops water past the gap between the roof and the gutter.
• Closes the gap. It helps keep wind-driven rain, insects and small animals out of the space at the roof edge.

The International Residential Code, the model code most U.S. building codes are based on, calls for drip edge at the eaves and rakes of asphalt shingle roofs. Even where it is not checked, a roof without it is a roof that is easier to damage.

Signs your drip edge is missing or failing

• Water stains, peeling paint or soft spots on the fascia board.
• Rot along the bottom edge of the roof deck, seen from the attic or when a gutter comes off.
• Gutters that overflow behind the gutter rather than over the front.
• Shingles that hang over the edge with nothing under them.

Older roofs in Central Arkansas were often installed without drip edge. When we tear off a roof, we check the deck edge and fascia, and any rot we find is photographed and priced in writing before it is repaired.

The drip edge in each Patriot package

• Armor (metal roof): color-matched metal drip edge.
• Guardian and Defender: aluminum drip edge.
• Shield: galvanized drip edge.

Every roof replacement we install includes it. See how the packages compare on our roof prices page.

What drip edge repair costs

If your roof is in good shape but the edge is missing drip edge, we can add it as a repair. Our published price book lists new metal drip edge for up to 50 feet of roof edge at $786 on a standard-pitch roof, with longer runs and steeper roofs priced on the same page. See every line on our roof repair cost page.

Frequently asked questions

Is drip edge required?

The International Residential Code calls for it on asphalt shingle roofs. Ask your town whether it enforces that code. Either way, we install it on every roof we replace.

Can drip edge be added without a new roof?

Yes. The first course of shingles is lifted, the drip edge slides under it, and the shingles are sealed back down.

Does drip edge go over or under the underlayment?

At the eaves it usually goes under the underlayment, so water on the underlayment runs onto the metal. Along the rakes it usually goes over the underlayment. Manufacturer instructions and local code set the final detail.

Want us to check your roof edge?

If you see stains on your fascia or water behind your gutters, book a visit. Repair diagnostic visits are $79.99, and Patriot Care Club members pay no service fee. If you are planning a new roof, the replacement inspection is free.