Proper installation drip edge flashing

The thinner metals are of course a little easier to nail in place, But the events that bends drip edge such as falling tree limbs will bend any drip edge of any thickness. Our view is that it is the width of the drip edge and both horizontal and vertical directions that may make a difference in some applications. That's particularly true on lower slope roofs, or where the roof decking doesn't come all the way to the outer edge of the fascia board and we need a wider drip edge flange in order to be able to nail the drip edge to the deck.

That's why it's not thickness. I am not referring to width. I do see some brands for example Quality Edge which makes thicknesses in.

This image shows typical dimensions from AmeriMax cited at Home Depot. Drip edge on a roof Edge is not normally a location invaded by squirrels. Please take a look. Is it ok to install gutters with drip edge that have screw holes in it from the previous gutter installation?

On by danjoefriedman mod - typical drip edge dimensions. Phillip Bullough, In the article above we state: Drip edge varies in dimensions but typically the flange that nails to the roof surface is about 2.

Lengths of drip vary but typically it's sold in ten foot lengths ". Unfortunately, my drip edge is against the fascia and in some places the back edge of the gutter curls away from the gutter.

As a result, I am going to install flashing under the drip edge and extending into the gutter. This will insure that I do not have a problem.

I've found some white vinyl flashing that I can slip underneath the drip edge, which should do the trick. Thanks for the guidance! Not an overstatement actually - on a mechanically seamed metal roof, the starter piece is fastened to the deck, then the panels are crimped over the starter piece and each panel is then mechanically crimped together. To undo all of that to replace or reinstall the starter edge basically means damaging the panels and effectively needing to replace all of the metal on the roof that runs into that gutter.

When you say you nicked the vertical lip and bent it up, did you do that at both ends of the run? I assume you would have then needed to flash under not over your cut, correct? Am I misunderstanding what you have proposed? Amoyo, In my experience a wavy drip edge like the case you describe usually occurs during installation; if the roof edge itself is not dead straight a common situation and if the installer pushes the outer edge of the drip edge too tightly against the edge of the roof during installation, it can produce the humps and bumps you mention.

Take a look also at the down-facing bend of the drip edge to be sure that it will send water into the gutter and not behind it. On by Amoyo. Our drip edge has humps in several places. Is this a settling issue or more likely poor workmanship? On by mod - sizes of drip edge available. On by Phillip Bullough.

What sizes of drip edges over fascia are available? On by mod - poor drip edge detailing at roof corner. Just ask them to add a bit of drip edge snipped and bent so as to close the corner to make everyone happy. Or easier-still, slip a piece of flat metal flashing up under the shingles, bent to fit under the hip, and shoot some high-grade sealant caulk into that gap where the drip edge is open at the very tip of the roof interesection or hip.

By the way, it's completely specious for a contractor to say that they're not required to comply with local building codes. I recently had my roof replaced after a hail storm.

In Texas, a drip edge required on all new and repaired roofs. The roofing company I used, did a poor job of installing the drip edge, particularly at the corners.

Also, most of the overlaps of the drip edge are less than 2 inches. I understand the building codes stipulate a minimum of 2 inches for overlaps. My roofing company disagrees and tells me the work if fine and they are not required to comply with county-approved building codes on replacement roofs.

Should I keep complaining to the roofer or just accept the poor work. See images below. Chris Thank you for a helpful question and photo about the placement of drip edge flashing and exposure of the fascia board to water. You can check this problem further by looking underneath the gutter and at the soffit to see if there are signs that water from the roof is running behind the gutter and down the fascia and possibly into th soffit.

If your inspection shows no water marks in that area then your roof edge flashing is working properly. This leaves an inch or two of exposed fascia as shown in the attached picture. Do I need to install some vertical flashing under the drip edge and into the gutter to protect the fascia? I was thinking of cutting strips of asphalt shingle to slip underneath.

Would that be sufficient? Scott: You are so right. My comments didn't realize we were talking about drip edge mechanically crimped to a metal roof - re-doing all of that would be horrible.

I wouldn't do it; I'd look for another solution. On by Scott. On - by mod -. Recently on a Minnesota building with a too-tight drip edge I simply added metal flashing that slipped up under the drip edge between the vertical lip and the fascia.

My add-on flashing at some locations included a small lip bent out at the flashing lower edge to get water away from the fascia. I note that was an easier job than yours because that building sports no gutters, just a nice 24" roof overhang. Junior To say we need to remove the roof to fix this problem is a bit of an over-statement.

When I faced the problem you describe I nicked the vertical lip of the drip edge, bent it out of the way, put the gutters where they needed to be, then added a bit of flashing over the drip edge nick to be sure that roof runoff went into the gutter, not behind it. We just had a new standing seam metal roof installed. The roofers put a drip edge on that essentially locks are current gutters in place as it is too tight to the gutter bracket. We have to cut our gutters apart to get them off now and we can't install the same gutter at the same height as you can access the screw under the drip edge.

Do you have any suggestions? Our only thought is that we need the roofing company to cut the drip edge shorter and then do a piece of flashing underneath.

This will not leave a very nice cut. The drip edge was the first step of the reroof and can't be replaced without removing the roof. Video demonstrating water run-off without drip edge and with proper placements vs incorrect placement. To make the outside corner turns, place a straight cut through the roof leg. Make sure that you are wrapping a minimum of two inches. Bend on the vertical leg and make sure the flap on the roof leg is on top of the roof leg of the eaves.

To make the inside corner turns, you will need to create an overlap that meets at the interior of the corner. That means that you will make cuts at the ends of two sections of drip edging and overlap the two at the juncture. A common mistake made by contractors is to place a straight cut down the roof leg same as shown for the outer corner and then bend the section into the corner.

However, doing it this way leaves an exposed square of sheathing right in the center of the valley. Although this section will be covered with membrane, the valleys are one of the most vulnerable spots for water damage.

Water run-off is very heavy in these locations and it is best to make cuts that prevent any exposure. To make proper cuts and bends for the inner corners, place a cut line at the location where the roof leg meets the vertical leg. After the membrane is installed, attach the drip edge to the rakes making sure to start at the bottom and work your way towards the peak. This ensures that a step effect is achieved which will allow the water run-off to move correctly. There are a few recommendations out there for making the bends and the cuts at the peak of the rake side.

I have experimented with several but found my method to be far easier and just as effective. To do the rakes, I align my drip edge piece up with the peak and make a cut straight up through the vertical leg. Then, I make the bend on the roof leg over the peak. Next, I place a line down the other side of the vertical leg, again using the the peak seam as a guide.

Then, I snip off the kick-out that crosses over that line. This allows the overlap section to fit flush beneath the front drip edge piece.

For most applications, the use of galvanized roofing nails is the best practice. If you live in an area where high winds are an issue i. This spacing varies from one location to another. So, be sure to check your local code requirements. When installing drip edge to a finished roof, the process is the same with one not-so-tiny addition. Ideally, you want to be able to nail the drip edge in place without doing any damage to the roof shingles.

This often means that the lower run starter shingles and 1st course have to be removed or loosened enough to allow access for tools. Removal will provide the easiest install for the drip edge. If removal of the roof shingles is not an option, you can still get some good protection by doing a cement attachment. Doing this is a subpar installation method to using the above method, and does not meet the standards set by the International Code Council of using mechanical attachments, but is still better than having no drip edge at all.

To use this method, you will need to loosen the lower run of shingles with a putty knife. Then, slip the roof drip edge under the shingles and the tar paper on the eaves. Place a bead of roofing cement along the top edge of the drip edging and press down on the loose shingles. To prevent causing damage to the roof shingles, it is better to do this when the temperatures are warm enough to make the shingles pliable. In cold temps, the roof shingles become stiff and brittle and will break very easily.

In addition, the warmer temps will allow the loosened shingles to reseal themselves in a quicker fashion. If you have to wait out the cold weather for the seal to retake, you run the risk of wind damage in the interim. So, try to time all repair work that requires lifting or moving roof shingles to coincide with temps around 70 degrees.

I wanted to include examples of some mistakes that you want to avoid and explain why these will cause issues. In the image above, the handyman is doing several things incorrectly. First of all, the drip edge that he is using has a vertical leg that is way too short to fit inside the gutter. The whole point of installing drip edges is to direct the water into the gutters and away from the fascia and house foundation.

To correct this situation, make sure to purchase drip edge flashing with a long enough vertical leg to reach the gutter. If the gutters have been installed too low, they may need to be raised and corrected. If you find yourself in a situation where you are using drip edging that can not reach your gutters, you can still increase your protection by using the proper drip edge to fascia distance.

Unfortunately, this is the next mistake that he is making. He is placing the drip edge right against the fascia. If spaced properly, the drip edge would still provide some protection despite the gutter issue. But installed this way is going to result in surface tension water running down the face of the fascia board and behind the gutter.

This will help keep the run-off from reaching the fascia board and will allow it to drip down into the gutter. Although this is not as good as having the drip edge inside the gutter, it is far better than the way he is doing it.

However, it still exposes the fascia to windblown rain which will also run down behind the gutter. The next thing that just jumps out to me is that he is not creating the proper overlap at the corners. What is going to happen in this situation is the rain is going to run down the corner and wick back between the space where these two sections meet. You should never, never, never butt two seams up against each other when doing any type of flashing. Learn how to do the proper cuts to make the wraps.

Practice on some scraps if needed. In a perfect world, the drip edge would be installed prior to roofing shingles. The vertical leg would extend down into the gutters and not have any face nails or screws. In an imperfect world, you are likely to find that retrofitting drip edging presents you with some questionable situations.

For instance, how do you install drip edge flashing around gutter clips that are in the way? Some may tell you to make two relief cuts around the gutter clips and fold the tab up. There is no way to overlap these cuts and water can work its way behind the exposed edges. Instead, I prefer to place the clip screws through both the gutter and the drip edge. The drip edge should always be installed with the flashing under the felt on the eaves side and over felt on the rakes unless local code dictates otherwise.

A few places Florida may require an alternative way of drip edge installation. The best practice is to always install the drip edge so that it is inside the gutter. The whole purpose is to direct the water into the gutters. It should never be installed outside the gutter i. For proper water drainage, the drip edge on the rakes should always overlap the drip edge on the eaves.

This works out correctly if you do the eaves first. Then, finish by installing the drip edge flashing on the rakes. Always set the nails back close to the edge of the roof leg. In some locations, it is acceptable for the roof shingles to line up with the drip edge. Remember that every region, city, or local may have slightly different requirements. It is best to double check these instruction against your local code.

Regardless of the type of drip edge that you use, or whether you are installing drip edge on a new roof or are retrofitting an old roof, you should always follow your local code requirements. You want to weigh any situational adjustments against that risk. This could cause the sheathing or fascias to rot after a few years. The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to install a drip edge at the eave and the rake.

Preformed drip edge can be made of aluminum, galvanized steel or copper. Though there are many shapes of drip edge available, it is important to use a product which does not hinder water from running off the roof.

At the eaves, apply metal drip edge over underlayment or directly to the deck. At the rake, the drip edge is installed over the underlay.