Materials / Drip Edge

Drip Edge

accessory

Drip edge is a corrosion-resistant metal flashing installed along the eaves and rake edges of steep-slope shingle roofs to direct water into gutters and away from the fascia and roof deck. Under IRC Section R905.2.8.5, it must extend at least 1/4 inch below the roof sheathing and at least 2 inches back onto the deck, with adjacent pieces overlapped a minimum of 2 inches and fasteners spaced no more than 12 inches on center. Underlayment is installed over the drip edge at eaves and under the drip edge at rakes. IRC Section R903.2 separately requires that metal flashing be corrosion resistant, at least 0.019 inch thick (No. 26 galvanized sheet) or equivalent.

Category family
accessory
Slope suitability
steep
Pros
  • directs water away from fascia and roof deck to prevent rot at roof edges
  • code-required dimensional and fastening specs leave little room for installer interpretation
  • inexpensive corrosion-resistant metal component with a long service life
  • simple retrofit item on tear-off reroofs to close a common inspection gap
Cons
  • easy to install backwards relative to underlayment at eaves versus rakes
  • often skipped or under-lapped on lower-cost reroofs, creating a common adjuster dispute
  • galvanized steel can still corrode if fasteners or cut edges are left unsealed

Sources