Even in milder climates, that little metal strip does more than you’d think. It’s not just about water—it keeps critters out too (I had wasps nesting behind my gutters before I added drip edge).
Had a similar situation after a hailstorm last spring—no drip edge on the old roof, and I ended up with carpenter ants getting into the fascia. Once we replaced the shingles and added drip edge, no more issues. It’s one of those details that seems minor until you see what happens without it. Not saying it’s mandatory everywhere, but in my experience, it’s saved me a lot of hassle down the line.
I get why folks swear by drip edge, but honestly, I skipped it when I patched up my shed roof last year (asphalt shingles, pretty low pitch). I’m in a pretty dry area, and the old roof never had it—no rot or bug problems after 15+ years. Maybe I just got lucky, but I figure if your gutters are tight and you keep up with caulking and paint, you can get by without it in some spots.
That said, I wouldn’t risk it on the main house, especially after hearing about ants and wasps getting in. But for smaller outbuildings or if you’re on a tight budget, I don’t think it’s always a must-have. Just depends on your setup and how much weather you’re dealing with. Sometimes these “little” upgrades add up fast when you’re already stretched thin from other repairs...
I get where you’re coming from—on a dry climate shed, skipping drip edge probably won’t haunt you. But I’ve seen some weird stuff happen even on “low risk” roofs. Once had a buddy with a garden shed, no drip edge, and after a few years the fascia started warping from water sneaking in sideways during those rare sideways rainstorms. Not catastrophic, but annoying. For main houses, though, I’m with you—wouldn’t skip it there. Sometimes it feels like every little add-on is just another hit to the wallet, but some of them do save headaches down the line...
Yeah, those little bits of metal seem like overkill until you see what water can pull off when it gets sneaky. I’ve seen fascia boards rot out just from a couple wild rainstorms—didn’t even look that bad from the outside at first. Not the end of the world on a shed, but man, it’s a pain to fix later. For houses, I always tell folks it’s one of those “wish I’d done it” things after the fact...
those little bits of metal seem like overkill until you see what water can pull off when it gets sneaky
Couldn’t agree more. Water’s relentless, and once it finds a way in, it just keeps working. I get that the drip edge looks minor, but it’s wild how much damage skipping it can cause—especially if you’re thinking about adding solar or even a green roof down the line. Once rot sets in, you’re not just replacing fascia, you’re risking mold and insulation headaches too. Honestly, I’d rather spend a few bucks up front than rip out half my eaves later.
