Drip edge and fascia board

16 years ago

The roof on my 1930's house was replaced in 2003 with new drip edge and some new sections of fir fascia. Because they installed the lower edge of the drip edge flush against the wood fascia, water flows down the drip edge onto the fascia. I just recently replaced one section of the recently replaced fascia board, where it appeared to have flowed through a joint in the fascia (I know, lousy caulking job). A carpenter replaced the fascia board and recommended that I clad the fascia with vinyl. Not keen on this idea - due to appearance and cost (over $1000).

What can I do to the drip edge to divert water away from the fascia? Bend it? I read in a recent post about slipping a 1x2 between the drip edge and fascia so the water will "skirt" away from the fascia. Will this work in my situation?

Additionally, I would like to add gutters to help prevent water damage to the siding and windows. Would the inner edge of the gutter slip under the drip edge? If not, would the gutters increase the potential for rotted fascia down the road? I am sensitive to the home's architectural character, so the least obtrusive the better.

Thanks in advance for your advice and comments.

Featured Answer

brickeyee

16 years ago

"unless the fascia board had a 1x2 installed, water is supposed to flow on the fascia."

He is wrong. Water should NEVER be flowing on the fascia.

"He said that the only reason for a drip edge is to keep water from seeping under the shingles - not to direct water from the fascia."

Wrong again. The reason for a drip edge is that if asphalt shingles hang over they can easily be damaged and can sag.
A drip edge helps support the shingles and ensures water does drip off the edge and does not run back up under the shingle to damage the fascia OR the edge of the roof deck.

Cheap drip edge is just a bent up piece of flashing. It provides minimal shingle support.
Better drip edges are stiffer and shaped to both support and protect.

Comments (6)

sdello
16 years ago
sounds like they installed a closure piece of metal and not a "drip edge" All the drip edges I've seen are bent outward at the bottom so the "drip" is away from the fascia.

definition from one website:

"For clarification, a drip edge is a modified L-shaped flashing used along the eaves and rakes of a roof. The drip edge directs runoff water into the gutters and away from the fascia."
green-zeus
16 years ago
You can also replace the fascia board with pressure treated. When you install gutters, you can screw or nail the back of the gutter tight to the board--I had to do this on my barn and it really did the trick to keep the water from running down the board.
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rosesr4me
Original Author
16 years ago
sdello and green-zeus - thanks for your responses.

Trying to cool off here because I just got off the phone with the roofing company that installed the drip edge. He is refusing to do anything because he said that unless the fascia board had a 1x2 installed, water is supposed to flow on the fascia. He said that the only reason for a drip edge is to keep water from seeping under the shingles - not to direct water from the fascia. I told him that the previous drip edge did direct runoff off the fascia board and he told me I was wrong (!). Wow. I guess he would know better than me the homeowner.

The drip edge that he installed has a crease imprint near the lower edge, but there isn't much of an angle on it. Is it standard practice to bend this drip edge at the time of installation to provide sufficient clearance from the fascia board? He is saying that there is only one kind of drip edge on the market and that they do not alter it.

Since he obviously is not claiming any responsibility, I will be filing whatever I can in the form of complaints, grievances (BBB, local building officials, etc.) Any further suggestions?

Can I slip a 1x2 under the drip edge to keep water from flowing across the fascia?

Thanks again for all your insight.
green-zeus
16 years ago
I understand what he's saying there. I guess that is correct---a drip edge is to protect the roof and not really to protect the fascia board. But the roof is supposed to overhang the gutter in order to direct water into the gutter. So for him to say his only job was to protect the roof, well, I disagree. I don't think it's standard to bend the drip edge, at least, for a pro. He's just going to put it on there because of the warranty issues involved for him if he makes any modifications. If you were doing it, well, you'd do whatever it took to satisfy your needs. This is just my opinion and means nothing--but it seems that today's gutters are thinner than what they used to be. So you get gaps in the back of them against the fascia board. That's why I screwed down the back of mine, because there was a lot of gapping.

Since WHEN is it normal for water to run down a fascia board???? Seems like another "french wave" statement to me. If that were the case, everyone's siding would be streaked in black stains. And before the days of pressure treated or aluminum fascias, everyone would be replacing gutter board every few years. That is such a crazy statement.

It seems before you hire ANYONE to do ANYTHING you now have to sit down with them and tell them exactly what you want and expect in every little,tiny area. In my opinion roofers are not very good at seeing small problem areas and finding good solutions to them. I was just on a newer roof last year after a friend had water coming in over a couple dormers. That cavity between the roof of the house and the roof of the dormer was exposed. Only because the roofer took no care in that little problem area. ACK--it's no wonder some of us try to do most work ourselves!!!!
rosesr4me
Original Author
16 years ago
Brickeyee....thanks for responding. Yep, this roofer is a deadbeat - refusing to do anything & with a very nasty attitude to boot. Even if he did agree to do something, I don't trust him replacing the drip edge. Heck, I don't even trust him coming to my house.

Will gutters alleviate this problem? Will the inside gutter edge fit under the drip edge? I have an appointment for an estimate on Monday.

If gutters won't fix the problem, will inserting 1x2 or lathe under the drip edge keep water off the fascia?

I have to correct this soon - I get plenty of rain here in Florida and I can't afford (nor able to replace myself due to neck injury) to keep replacing fascia.

Thanks again for your responses.