Is Drip Edge Required on Roofs in the Treasure Valley?
Yes. Drip edge is required on shingle roofs under the International Residential Code that Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell and the rest of Ada and Canyon counties enforce, and Dodd Roofing and Exteriors installs it on every roof we replace. Section R905.2.8.5 of the IRC calls for metal drip edge at both the eaves and the rakes, so if a roofer skips it, the job is not to code and the city inspector can flag it.
What does drip edge actually do?
Drip edge is an L shaped strip of metal that runs along the edge of the roof deck. It carries water off the end of the shingles and into the gutter instead of letting it curl back under the shingle and soak the fascia board and the top edge of the decking. Without it, water wicks behind the gutter and rots the fascia, which is one of the most common reasons we find gutters pulling loose on older homes in Nampa and Caldwell. It also stiffens the roof edge against wind and closes the gap that wasps and birds use to get into the attic.
How is drip edge supposed to be installed?
The order matters. At the eaves, the drip edge goes under the underlayment so any water that gets past the shingles runs over the metal and out. At the rakes, it goes over the underlayment. Pieces overlap by at least two inches, and the lower flange extends past the fascia by about a quarter inch so water drips clear instead of clinging to the wood. When we replace gutters along with a roof, we set the drip edge so it feeds straight into the gutter. That detail is small, but it decides whether the fascia is still solid twenty years from now.
Do older Treasure Valley homes have it?
Many do not. Homes built before the late 1990s on the Boise Bench and in the North End, older neighborhoods in Meridian and Kuna, and rural Middleton and Star properties often have shingles that simply hang over the edge with nothing under them. A missing drip edge is not an emergency on its own, but it usually shows up alongside soft fascia, stained soffits and gutters that hold water. A free roof inspection will tell you whether it is there and whether the edge has started to rot.
Can drip edge be added without replacing the roof?
Sometimes. On a roof with several years left, a roofer can lift the first course of shingles, slide drip edge under at the eaves, and reseal the tabs. Rakes are harder because those shingles are cemented down and tend to tear. It is a reasonable roof repair when the deck edge is still solid. If the edge has already rotted, the fix becomes a decking repair, and at that point it is worth comparing the repair against a full replacement, especially on a roof past fifteen years.
What should you ask your roofer?
Ask whether the quote includes new drip edge at both eaves and rakes, what color and gauge it is, and whether the existing gutters will be reset to meet it. A quote that lists shingles and underlayment but never mentions drip edge is a sign of corners being cut. Dodd Roofing and Exteriors includes it on every roof replacement in the Treasure Valley, and the permit inspection in your city will look for it. Call (208) 295-9421 with questions or to schedule an inspection.
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