Should you be able to see drip edge on a roof?
Short answer. Yes, usually just a little. From the ground, drip edge shows as a thin metal strip along the eaves and rakes, tucked under the shingle edge and sitting over the fascia, often white, brown, black or a color that matches the trim. If you see the raw edge of the deck or shingles drooping over the fascia with no metal behind them, the roof probably has no drip edge.
What you should see
- At the eaves: the shingles overhang the metal slightly, and a narrow band of metal shows over the top of the fascia, just above the gutter.
- At the rakes: a thin metal strip runs up the sloped gable edge under the shingles.
- Color: usually matched to the fascia, gutters or shingles.
How to check
Stand at a gable end and look up the rake edge, or look behind the gutter at the eave from a ladder. You should see metal between the shingle and the fascia board. Some homes have drip edge at the eaves but not the rakes, which is a common shortcut on older roofs.
Signs it is missing
- Shingle edges curling down over the fascia.
- Dark water stains, peeling paint or soft wood on the fascia.
- Rotted deck edges visible from the attic at the eaves.
- Water running behind the gutter instead of into it.
- Gaps where squirrels or wasps get in.
Is it required?
The International Residential Code calls for drip edge at the eaves and rakes of shingle roofs, and Georgia adopts that code with state amendments. Manufacturers also expect it. Older roofs often predate the requirement.
Can it be added?
Adding drip edge to an existing roof is possible, but it is cleanest during a replacement, when it can go under the underlayment at the eaves and over it at the rakes as intended. See drip edge explained and our gutter guide.