Eave drip vs drip edge: what is the difference?
Short answer. Eave drip is drip edge installed along the eaves, the level edges where gutters hang, and suppliers often use the name for profiles with a longer face or an outward kick that throws water into the gutter. Drip edge is the general term for the metal edge flashing along both eaves and rakes, so eave drip is a kind of drip edge, not a different product.
The edge metal family
- Drip edge: the umbrella term for metal edge flashing on a shingle roof. Required at eaves and rakes under the residential code.
- Eave drip: the eave version. Often a D or T style profile with a kicked out lower lip so water drips clear of the fascia.
- Rake edge: the version used up the sloped gable edges, where the job is mostly to protect the deck edge and hold the shingles neatly.
- Gutter apron: an eave profile with an extended flange that tucks into or over the back of the gutter.
Why the eave profile matters most
At the eave, every drop of water coming off the roof crosses that edge. If the metal does not reach past the fascia, water clings to the underside and runs behind the gutter, rotting fascia and staining soffits. A profile with a kick or longer face fixes that.
Installation differences
- At eaves: drip edge goes on first, and the underlayment or leak barrier laps over it, so water on the underlayment flows onto the metal.
- At rakes: underlayment goes down first and the drip edge goes on top, so wind driven rain cannot get behind it.
- Joints: overlap at least 2 inches.
Names vary by supplier
Supply houses and regions use these names loosely. When you compare quotes, ask for the profile shape and the face height, not just the name. See drip edge explained and gutter sizing and guards.