To get the most service from shingle roofs, it is essential to work with roof services that pay attention to the fine details. One of those important details is the installation of drip edges under the borders of the shingles.
Thought of by many as just another trim piece that can be left off to save money; drip edges are actually important for the preservation of the installation. Without them, the possibility of water damage that requires professional roof repair goes up considerably.
What Are Drip Edges?
Drip edges are angled metal finishing strips that get positioned under the edge of the bottom row of shingles at the edge of a roof. Drip edges fit between the underside of the shingles and the top side of the decking and underlayment; they bend down to cover the edge of the fascia.
They are available in many styles and colors to easily fit all shingle roofs and blend in so they are hardly visible unless looking up close. When properly installed by quality roof services, drip edges do help provide a finished look to the roof edges. Yet their main purpose is functional, not decorative.
Why Are Drip Edges So Important?
Although commonly overlooked by many roof repair contractors and homeowners alike, drip edges provide critical protection to the edge of shingle roofs. They prevent water damage that is common at the edges of the installation and can affect shingles, decking, and fascia. This happens when water rolling down to the end of the shingles clings to the edge and rolls underneath rather than falling off and the rain gutter.
That moisture, when traveling up the underside of the shingle, can then be absorbed by the underlayment. This action could eventually saturate the decking and even the top edge of the fascia. Over time, all of these components can begin to decay and jeopardize the entire bottom edge of the installation.
The more advanced the damage becomes, the further up and under the shingles it can extend. The solution to prevent this potentially costly water damage is insisting that roof services apply drip edges during the installation. If missing from your current installation, drip edges can be easily added.
Why Are Drip Edges Commonly Overlooked?
Even though shingle manufacturers require that all installations include drip edges, many contractors either overlook or intentionally omit them. The usual reason for this has to do with price. Since omitting the drip edges does not technically prevent the structure from functioning properly, contractors leave them off to provide write a lower estimate for homeowners trying to reduce costs.
This has become such a common practice that some contractors never install drip guards at all unless the homeowner requests them, even though many homeowners may not even realize they are necessary. These important components are then completely overlooked until damage that requires roof repair is found. Unfortunately, missing drip guards may also void some manufacturer warranties if shingle damage could have been prevented with the installation of drip edges.
As minor as they may seem, drip edges are an important component that should be installed on all shingle roofs. Homeowners should make sure that roof services include drip edges in work estimates and reject those that do not lack them. Paying a little more for drip edges during a new installation will save money in the long run by preventing problems that could end up needing costly roof repair later!
