Do I need drip edge if I have gutters?
What drip edge does that gutters cannot
Water clings to surfaces. At a roof edge without metal flashing, rain hangs on the bottom of the shingles and wicks back toward the house, soaking the edge of the roof deck and the top of the fascia. With a gutter hung below, that water slips between the gutter and the fascia, where it rots wood, stains soffits, and loosens hangers. Drip edge extends past the deck and kicks water out and down into the trough.
What the code calls for
- Drip edge at both the eaves and the rakes of asphalt shingle roofs.
- Extending at least 1/4 inch below the roof sheathing and at least 2 inches back onto the deck.
- Fastened no more than 12 inches apart, with adjacent pieces overlapped at least 2 inches.
- Underlayment over the drip edge at the eaves and under it at the rakes.
Drip edge vs gutter apron
Where the gutter sits low on the fascia, a gutter apron, which has a longer vertical leg, reaches down into the trough better than standard drip edge. Either way, the metal should lap into the gutter, not stop above it.
Does your roof have it?
From a ladder, look at the roof edge: you should see a metal edge between the shingles and the fascia, often colored to match the trim. Older roofs sometimes skipped it at the eaves. It can be added behind existing gutters, but a replacement is the easiest time. See drip edge explained and gutter sizing, seamless gutters and guards.