Short answer. Drip edge in Dallas is a strip of bent metal along the roof edge that holds water off the fascia and steers it into the gutter. On an existing roof we can usually retrofit a gutter apron under the first row of shingles; on a reroof, drip edge goes on with the new roof. Missing edge metal is a common cause of rotted fascia.
Why the roof edge matters
Water clings to the underside of shingles as it leaves the roof. Without metal at the edge, some of it wraps back and runs down the face of the fascia, behind the gutter. Over years that soaks the wood, peels the paint and rots the board the gutter hangs on.
Drip edge or gutter apron fixes that by giving the water a clean edge to fall from, straight into the trough. It is cheap compared with the fascia repair it prevents, and on many older roofs it was simply never installed.
What decides the cost of drip edge
We have no sourced Dallas range for drip edge alone, so these are the factors that set yours.
- 1Linear footage
The length of roof edge that needs metal.
- 2Retrofit or reroof
Retrofits under existing shingles take more care.
- 3Roof type
Tile and metal roofs need different edge parts.
- 4Fascia repair
Rotted boards fixed after the edge is sealed.
- 5Height
Second-story eaves need more setup.
Gap behind the gutter
If you can see daylight or a gap between the back of the gutter and the roof edge, rain is getting into it. We bridge that gap with gutter apron that runs from under the shingles down into the trough, so every drop that leaves the roof lands in the gutter.
Gutter apron retrofit
On a roof that is not due for replacement, we slide gutter apron under the first course of shingles and fasten it without disturbing the rest of the roof. It is the practical retrofit for houses built without drip edge, and it can be done while the gutters stay up.
Drip edge on reroofs
During a reroof, drip edge goes on at the eaves before the underlayment and at the rakes after it. If your roofer is replacing the roof, we coordinate so the gutters come off and go back on correctly around the new edge metal, see detach and reset.
Stained fascia
Dark streaks and peeling paint running down the fascia below the gutter are the classic sign that water is getting behind it. We fix the edge first, then repair or wrap the stained boards so the problem does not return.
Drip edge on mid-century Dallas roofs
Missing edge metal shows up often in Lake Highlands, where Highland Meadows holds a collection of mid-century modern homes built in the 1950s and 1960s. Their low-slope roofs move water slowly to the edge, which gives it more time to curl under the shingles and run down the fascia. On those roofs, gutter apron is often the difference between a dry board and a rotted one.
Can you add drip edge yourself?
You can check
- Look for streaks or a gap behind the gutter after rain
- See if metal shows under the first shingle row
- Note where paint is failing on the fascia
Leave the install to us
- Sliding apron under existing shingles
- Anything on a second story
- Coordinating with a reroof
Signs your roof edge needs metal
- Streaks down the fascia
Dark lines below the gutter after rain.
- Peeling paint on boards
Paint failing in a line behind the gutter.
- Gap at the roof edge
Daylight between the gutter back and the roof.
- Soft fascia
Wood that dents when pressed behind the gutter.
- Drips behind the gutter
Water falling between the gutter and the wall.
How a drip edge install goes
Inspect the edge
We check for metal, gaps and stains.
Pick the part
Drip edge on a reroof, apron on a retrofit.
Slide and fasten
Metal set under the first shingle row.
Fix the boards
Stained or soft fascia repaired or wrapped.
Test
Water run off the roof into the gutter.
Drip edge questions
A strip of bent metal along the roof edge that holds water off the fascia and sends it into the gutter.
Usually yes, as gutter apron slid under the first row of shingles.
Usually missing edge metal or a gap between the gutter and the roof.
It removes the most common cause. Rotted boards still need repair.
Yes, on reroofs, so edge metal and gutters are installed in the right order.
Most retrofits take a few hours.