American Gutter Service
Water running behind your gutters?
Gutter Flashing & Drip Edge
Rain dripping between the gutter and the house means roof water is missing the gutter. Flashing closes that gap.
What you'll notice
Signs Water Is Getting Behind the Gutter
- Drips between the gutter and the wall when it rains
- Dark streaks or peeling paint on the fascia
- Stains on the soffit or the top of the siding
- Gutters that stay nearly dry in steady rain
- Soft wood where the gutter is fastened
Water coming over the front of the gutter is a different problem: see gutter repair.
How it's meant to work
How Roof Water Should Enter the Gutter
At the roof edge, water has to break away cleanly and drop into the gutter. That takes two things: an edge that sheds water outward, and a gutter whose back sits behind and below that drip line.
If either is off, water clings to the underside of the shingles and follows the wood toward the house.
Where it usually goes wrong
- No metal at the roof edge
- Common on older roofs.
- Metal that stops short
- It ends behind the gutter instead of over it.
- A gap behind the gutter
- The gutter was hung low or has pulled away.
- Short shingle overhang
- Water runs straight down the face of the board.
Sorting out the names
Drip Edge, Gutter Apron and Gutter Flashing
The names get used interchangeably, but they aren't always the same piece of metal.
| Term | What it usually means | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Drip edge | Metal along the roof edge, under the shingles. Normally part of the roof. | Sheds water off the edge of the roof deck. |
| Gutter apron | Flashing with a longer leg that tucks under the shingles and hangs into the gutter. | Carries water over the back of the gutter. |
| Gutter flashing | A general term for metal bridging the roof edge and the gutter. | Closes the gap behind the gutter. |
Trades use these names differently, and the right piece depends on how your roof edge is built. We'll tell you which one yours needs.
Water getting behind your gutter?
Text us a photo of the roof edge and the gutter below it. We'll tell you what we see.
Timing
When Flashing Gets Added
With new gutters
The roof edge is easiest to flash with no gutter in the way. See seamless gutter installation.
During a replacement
Stains on the fascia show where water got behind. See gutter replacement.
After fascia work
If water rotted the old board, the cause gets fixed too. See fascia board replacement.
Flashing can also be added to sound existing gutters.
At the estimate
How We Evaluate Your Roof Edge
Look for the evidence
Streaks, peeling paint and soft spots.
Check the roof edge
Is there metal under the shingles, and where does it end?
Check the gutter
Its height and how tight it sits to the fascia.
Check the wood
Soft fascia gets replaced before anything is fastened to it.
Tell you what it needs
Flashing, a gutter adjustment or new fascia, each priced separately.
Damaged shingles or roof decking is work for a roofer, and we'll say so.
Published pricing
Gutter Flashing and Drip Edge Cost
$7.00per linear foot, installed
Priced by the foot of roof edge that needs it, which is often only a few runs.
With gutter work, flashing is one more line on the estimate. The $450 minimum installation charge applies to small standalone jobs.
| Roof edge flashed | Flashing cost |
|---|---|
| 40 ftOne side of a house | $280 |
| 100 ft | $700 |
| 150 ft | $1,050 |
Flashing only. Examples, not quotes.
Google reviews
What Customers Say About Our Work
4.9 from 180+ reviews on Google.
Gutter Flashing and Drip Edge Questions
My roof already has drip edge. Why is water still getting behind the gutter?
Usually the drip edge ends behind the back of the gutter, or the gutter sits too low or has pulled away. Either leaves a gap.
Do the gutters have to come down to add flashing?
It depends on how the gutter is hung and how much room there is at the roof edge. We check at the estimate and tell you before any work starts.
Does every gutter installation need flashing?
No. If the roof edge already delivers water into the gutter, there's nothing to add.
Schedule a Gutter Estimate
We'll look at the roof edge, the gutter and the fascia, and tell you which one is letting water through.