Aluminum Roof Drip Edge

[PARKER]

I’m builing a new home in Central Florida.
The builder is offering to install Aluminum Roof Drip Edges instead of Gutters and Downspouts.
My Questions:
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF ROOF DRIP EDGE?

DO THEY WORK THE SAME AS GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS?

WHAT WOULD YOU INSTALL DRIP EDGES OR

GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS?

Thanks for any help you may provide.

[bc]

Parker, aluminum drip edging is used on roofs (especially shingles) whether or not you have gutters. The drip edge helps keep moisture from damaging the fascia and getting in under the roof.

In the rain belt down there you need gutters. Water running off the roof will create ditches and puddles under the roofline. Pay the builder for guttering and the drip edges.

[Steve:]

One (the drip edge) is mandatory for decking and facia and soffet maintenance.
Gutters are in my opinion a neccesity. Erosion will occure with out them, foundations will suffer without them, plants have no choice in living without them, the porch and exterior exits will leave you wet without them, without them life is hell.

[bc]

Parker, no offense but it sound like you are a novice about home building and about rain patterns in central florida(keep umbrellas handy). I’d suggest you get an architect or maybe better and cheaper may be to hire your own inspector. Get one experienced with construction and he could not only help you prepare your building specifications for your builder (who is looking to make his own buck) but could do on the job inspections thoughout construction. Build this into the contract that the builder must pass his inspections. Remember city inspectors are only concerned with meeting minimum building codes and don’t always to physical inspections especially for residential. Your paid inspector can have your interests in mind and answer these kinds of questions for you. He may help prevent those building defects that get covered over.

Technically the builder is doing his job by offering you options with different prices and you may be looking at options to save money. (we could all build a dream house with a million bucks) You may just need some help in knowing which are the good options or bad options and which ones make a difference and which ones might have an effect in the long run. No gutters will cause dripping around the foundation(and on your head), puddling, then lead to drainage into your basement or crawl space instead of away. That moisture could result in wet basements/crawlspaces, rotten floors, mold, and mildew among others. Go down this website for all the moisture problems we deal with.

Go further down the page to read our discussion about inspections or type in control and f and type in words like inspect and others to know more about them. Jack and Jay may come along and add their two cents worth on this and maybe Jack is an estimate for a charge for the services.

Good luck.

[JackD]

I get the feeling that maybe there’s a little miscomunication between you and the builder. Since you say he’s offering you a choice between alum. drip edge and gutters, he may be talking about the devices that spread the water when it comes off the roof, which are touted as being better than gutters because they don’t clog up with leaves. Another reason for my thinking is that drip edging is not normally alum., it’s galvanized tin. Another, as has been pointed out, is that codes require drip edge to be installed. I can’t imagine a builder offering me a choice between drip edging and gutters. I would question his competency. I’d ask him to show me what he’s talking about. That will probably clear it up. As for inspections as suggested by bc the cost would vary depending on your area, how much the inspector is asked to do and how many times you want it inspected.

JackD

[Jerry Ridgley]

what is installed first? The paper or the drip edge.

[Richard Cooper]

I just put on a new fascia board on a old existing roof. Every time it rains now my living roof leaks like crazy. My question is, can I just try and lift up the edge of the shingles and slide a drip edge in there? The roof only extends about 1″ past the fascia board. Please, any help is appreciated.

Richard Cooper

New Paltz, New York

[Author]

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