Drip Edge Spacing, Baffled Ridge Vents, and Synthetic Underlayment Realities
Drip Edge Spacing and Hidden Fascia Rot Rushed crews often nail metal drip edge tight against fascia wood before hanging gutters. When heavy rain cascades off shingle overhangs, surface tension draws water backward along the metal underside. That moisture wicks into the unprotected seam between the fascia board and the gutter back wall. Gutter installers who drive screws through the bottom flange of the drip edge create puncture holes where rainwater funnels into bare lumber. Water follows surface tension straight back into raw lumber unless metal forces a clean break. A dependable roofing contractor Longview TX residents call leaves a small air gap between the drip edge vertical leg and the wooden fascia. That slight kickout breaks capillary pull and forces water to drip directly into the gutter trough. When installers omit this gap, unsealed rafter tails turn spongy long before damp ceiling stains appear inside living rooms. This oversight turns a simple tear-off into expen...