That little metal strip is way more important than it looks. I skipped drip edge on my old shed thinking, “Eh, what’s the worst that could happen?” Fast forward two winters—fascia looked like a science experiment gone wrong. If you’re already up there, it’s honestly not that hard to install. Just measure, snip, and nail it down before the shingles go on. Bonus: fewer wasp condos in your soffits.
“Fast forward two winters—fascia looked like a science experiment gone wrong.”
That’s a pretty accurate description of what happens without drip edge. I used to think it was just an extra step, but after seeing how water can sneak under shingles and rot out the wood, I’m convinced. It’s not just about water either—wind-driven rain, ice dams, even bugs find their way in if there’s a gap. It might seem minor, but skipping it can turn into a bigger headache (and expense) down the line.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ll play devil’s advocate for a second. I’ve seen plenty of older houses around here (Midwest, lots of snow and rain) that never had drip edge installed, and their fascia boards are still hanging in there after decades. Sometimes, if the shingles are cut just right and the overhang is decent, water doesn’t always sneak in as much as you’d think.
That said, it’s a bit of a gamble. I’ve also seen jobs where skipping the drip edge turned into a mess—peeling paint, soft spots, even carpenter ants moving in for a free meal. But I wouldn’t say it’s an automatic disaster every time. Some of those old-timers just got lucky, or maybe their roofs had a steeper pitch.
Personally, I always recommend drip edge now, especially with how cheap it is compared to replacing rotten wood. But I get why some folks think it’s overkill, especially if they’ve never had issues. Just depends on how much risk you’re willing to take, I guess.
I’ve torn off a lot of old roofs where the fascia was still solid, even without drip edge, but I’ve also seen plenty where it was a soggy mess. Around here (upper Midwest), ice dams and wind-driven rain just find their way in eventually. Drip edge is cheap insurance, honestly. Even if you get lucky for a while, all it takes is one bad winter or a little shingle curl and you’re looking at repairs. I wouldn’t skip it these days, especially with how building codes are tightening up.
I get where you’re coming from about drip edge being “cheap insurance,” but I’m still a little on the fence. My house was built in the late 70s, and when I pulled off the old shingles last summer, there was zero drip edge—just shingles hanging over the plywood. The fascia was in decent shape, maybe a little soft in spots, but nothing major. I’m in southern Wisconsin, so we get our fair share of snow and ice, but I guess the overhang did its job for a few decades.
That said, I’ve seen neighbors with newer roofs and fancy drip edge still end up with water stains on the soffit after a rough winter. Makes me wonder if the drip edge is really the magic fix, or if it’s more about how well the gutters are installed, or even just luck with how the wind blows. I’m not saying it’s useless, but is it really going to save the fascia if you’ve got ice dams backing up under the shingles anyway? Or is it more about keeping the edge of the plywood from rotting out?
I did end up putting drip edge on when I re-roofed, mostly because the code inspector said I had to. It wasn’t expensive, but it was kind of a pain to get it tucked under the underlayment just right. I guess I’m just skeptical that it’s the end-all solution. Anyone else notice that it doesn’t always seem to make a difference, or am I missing something about how it’s supposed to work? Maybe I’m just overthinking it, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s more about passing inspection than actually stopping leaks.
