Drip edge — IRC R905.2.8.5 mandate, eave/rake profiles, common omission in budget bids

Drip edge is a thin metal flashing — typically aluminum, occasionally copper or galvalume — installed along the perimeter of the roof at the eaves (the lower horizontal edge) and the rakes (the sloped gable edges). It directs water that runs off the shingle ends away from the fascia board and the exposed edge of the roof sheathing, instead of letting that water cling to and degrade the wood underneath. The IRC's residential code section R905.2.8.5 makes drip edge a code requirement on asphalt-shingle roofs, not optional. The eave drip edge is installed beneath the underlayment along the lower edge so water is directed past the fascia; the rake drip edge is installed over the underlayment along the gable edges so wind-driven water cannot enter behind the shingle. Profiles are named by their cross-section: T-style (with a return leg back toward the fascia), L-style (a simple right angle), and F-style (with a kick-out toward the gutter line) are the most common, with eaves typically using T- or L-style and rakes typically F-style. Color is a visible cosmetic choice — drip edge is matched to the fascia color where possible. Drip edge is one of the line items that distinguishes a code-compliant install from a budget-tier corner-cut. Its absence is rarely visible immediately after a re-roof — the fascia continues to look fine until water has worked behind it for a season or two — but accelerates fascia rot and sheathing-edge water damage over years. A homeowner can sometimes confirm presence from the ground by looking up at the eave and seeing the metal edge protruding past the fascia line; absence shows as a clean fascia board with the shingle edge ending right at it. Specific profile and material choice on any home is the contractor's decision; the presence or absence question is the homeowner-relevant signal. [Source: IRC Section R905.2.8.5 drip edge; NRCA Roofing Manual flashing chapter; ASTM D7158 wind resistance for steep-slope; GAF eave and rake detail install guide]