Any new or repaired roof should have a drip edge. It plays a role in protecting the structure that stands beneath that same roofing.

Characteristics of a drip edge

• It has a distinctive L shape.
• It is made of sheet metal, aluminum or vinyl.
• It is supposed to be attached to the edge of a roofing system.

The primary purpose of that L-shaped section of the roofing

It directs rainwater away from the building’s fascia.
It sends the rainwater into the gutter.

Some roofing products give a drip edge the ability to carry out additional functions

–Some of them work to distribute weight on a roof, so that leaks are less apt to form.
–Sometimes an edge’s penetrations get placed high on the underside of a shingle. That provides the roofing with added protection from wind-driven rain.

Feature of importance to the average homeowner

Today, drip edges come in a range of colors. Hence, each homeowner has the chance to strive towards matching the edge’s color with the color of the paint used on the home’s trim. When homes have shutters at the windows, then a house can be given a larger amount of curb appeal by matching the color of the shutters with the hue of the drip edge.

Sometimes, a homeowner does not feel that any drip edge’s color seems to match with the hue of the home’s trim or shutters. When that proves to be the case, then it becomes the homeowner’s responsibility to paint over the drip edge’s surface.

Still, a single coat of paint would not have the ability to prolong the life of the painted object/edge. Instead, that initial coating should be covered with a waterproof primer. That action ought to work to prolong the amount of time during which the painted drip edge retains its ability to guide rainwater into the home’s gutter system.

The best time of year for repairing any drip edges

That L-shaped section of the roofing plays a key role in the effort to prevent formation of leaks. For that reason, any repairs to that section of a rooftop ought to take place shortly before the anticipated arrival of the seasonal rains.

That means that it makes the most sense to hire roofing experts in San Mateo in the autumn. That way, the home with the completed repairs should be able to encourage the draining away of any water that might pool on the roof.

In fact, there are a number of different roofing-related chores that should be carried out in the fall, by a DIY expert or a contractor. Those specific tasks have been outlined more clearly in the section that follows these few paragraphs about drip edges.