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4.9 Google rating, 1,100+ reviewsLicensed and insured, VA 2705155080Springfield and Fredericksburg
drip edge in Northern Virginia by Roofing & Gutter Ethics, drip edge and valley membrane installed at the eave
4.9 on Google, 1,100+ reviews Virginia / Roof System

Drip Edge in Northern Virginia

Drip edge is the metal that carries water off the deck and into the gutter instead of behind it. Virginia code requires it at the eave and the rake, and plenty of roofs in the DMV still do not have it.

Type D profile Eave and rake Color matched Gutter apron Code compliant
4.9
Across 1,100+ Google reviews
2
Offices, Springfield and Fredericksburg
Free
Inspections, no pressure
120+
Years of combined experience, a team born and raised in the DMV
Overview

The cheapest metal on your roof is the one that decides whether your fascia stays solid or quietly rots behind the gutter, and most homeowners never see it.

Related roofline work: fascia board replacement, rake board replacement and PVC trim installation.

Water clings to the underside of a shingle when it leaves the roof. Without a metal edge to break that surface tension, it runs back onto the fascia board and down the front of your gutter. We install Type D drip edge at both the eave and the rake, lapped so each piece sheds onto the one below it, with the eave leg landing inside the gutter.

01

Type D profile

Type D has a longer kickout than the older Type C angle, so water clears the fascia instead of curling back to it. We run it at the eave and up every rake.

02

Matched to your gutter

Aluminum drip edge against aluminum gutter, steel against steel. Mixing metals at a wet joint sets up galvanic corrosion, and the cheaper metal is the one that gives out first.

03

Layered with the shield

At the eave the drip edge goes under the ice and water shield. At the rake it goes over. Reverse that order and you have built a funnel pointed at your sheathing.

drip edge in Northern Virginia by Roofing & Gutter Ethics, finished eave line with drip edge
drip edge in Northern Virginia by Roofing & Gutter Ethics, finished eave line with drip edge
Detail

What we actually do

Drip edge is fast to install and easy to skip, which is why it gets skipped. Here is how it goes on when we do it, and why the order matters as much as the metal.

  • Eave and rake, no exceptionsVirginia code calls for drip edge at both the eave and the rake. We install both on every asphalt roof we tear off, and we do not price it as an add on line item.
  • Ice and water shield underneathA full roll of ice and water shield runs the eave and carries twenty four inches into warm space. The drip edge tucks under it so nothing can wick back to the deck.
  • Laps that shed waterEach section overlaps the next running downhill, fastened high on the flange so the nails sit under the shingle course and never sit in the path of standing water.
  • Retrofits without a new roofAlong the eave we can often slide new drip edge in while the gutter is down, during gutter replacement or fascia work. The rake edge usually waits for the reroof.
Diagnostic

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Coverage

Where we work

We cover Northern Virginia and the Fredericksburg area out of two offices. Search for your town, or pick it off the list to see the map and the local page.

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    Why us

    The part other crews skip

    Inspected first

    We get on the roof and photograph what we find before we quote. You see the same evidence we do.

    Roofing and gutters together

    One crew for the roof, the siding and the gutters, so nobody is blaming the other trade.

    Licensed and insured

    Virginia license 2705155080, CertainTeed ShingleMaster certified, fully insured on every job.

    Every job documented

    Photos and video through the whole install on CompanyCam, stored indefinitely, with a link that is yours to keep.

    Reviews

    What Virginia homeowners say

    Questions

    Drip Edge questions we get asked

    Is drip edge actually required in Virginia?

    Yes. The code calls for it at the eave and the rake on asphalt roofs. Older homes built before the requirement often have none, and some have only the eave run. If yours is missing, we will show you the photos on your CompanyCam link before we quote anything.

    What is the difference between Type C and Type D?

    Type C is a simple L angle. Type D adds a kickout at the bottom that pushes water away from the fascia before it drops. On a house with gutters, Type D is what you want, and it is what we carry from ABC Supply.

    Can you add drip edge without replacing the roof?

    Along the eave, usually yes, especially if the gutters are coming off anyway. The rake is harder because the shingle edge has to lift and the starter has to be intact. We look first and tell you honestly whether the retrofit is worth doing.

    My fascia is stained and peeling. Is that the drip edge?

    Often it is. Water leaving the roof edge with nothing to break it will run the back of the board and blister paint from behind. Clogged gutters and a bad gutter apron do the same thing, so we check all three before recommending a fix.

    Can I get it in a color that matches my trim?

    Yes. Drip edge comes in standard colors and we match it to your trim or your gutter, whichever you would rather it disappear into. Mill finish aluminum is available too, but on most homes a color match reads cleaner from the ground.

    Gutter cleared by hand on a Gutter Ethics cleaning in Arlington, VA
    Real job: cleared by hand and flushed
    Stop the rot at the source

    Clogged gutters are what rot fascia in the first place.

    When a gutter backs up, water spills over the back edge and sits against the fascia, soffit and trim until the wood goes soft. New boards last when the gutter in front of them stays clear. Every cleaning visit includes a look at the roof edge, with photos.

    Get the roof edge looked at

    Free inspection, free written estimate, no obligation. We will photograph the eave and the rake and tell you straight whether your drip edge is doing its job or quietly failing.

    • Free inspection, no pressure
    • Photos of everything we find, yours to keep
    • Licensed and insured, VA 2705155080
    • CertainTeed ShingleMaster certified

    Request your free inspection

    Tell us what you are seeing and we will get back to you to set a time.