What is gutter apron flashing
Mia Horton
Updated on April 10, 2026
Gutter flashing or gutter apron serves the primary purpose of collecting all the water. This spares you the hassle and stress of having to collect the water from the attic yourself and clean it.
What is an apron flashing?
Apron Flashings are located at the low end of a curb or penetration. This type of flashing makes a water tight junction, basically forming a right angle which starts up behind the cladding, comes down and out and over the roof. … An Apron Flashing diverts moisture and is used at junctions between roofs and walls.
What does gutter flashing do?
Gutter flashing is a long piece of aluminum or plastic material that fits between your gutter and your roof line. The purpose of flashing is to prevent water from going behind your gutter.
What is gutter apron?
A gutter apron is a long piece of metal fold that starts under the first course of shingles and hangs over the sheathing of the roof. Gutter aprons take on an additional role by hanging down an inch or so into the back of the gutter to prevent water from dripping or splashing behind the gutter.Are drip edge and gutter apron the same thing?
A gutter apron serves the same purpose as a drip edge. … The most obvious attribute that distinguishes a gutter apron from a drip edge is the fact that a gutter apron is more of an L-shaped metal rather than a T. A gutter apron also comes in metal strips with aluminum and steel sheets.
Do you need gutter flashing?
Why would I need gutter flashing? Without gutter flashing, water can accumulate on the edges of the shingles, wick back toward the house, and seep into the fascia. Over time, this in turn can cause water damage and rot in the structure of your house where the roof and the walls meet.
How do you install gutter aprons?
There are only two steps needed to install a gutter apron. Step 1: Install the top section of your apron by slipping it under the starter shingle course. This refers to the layer directly above the roof sheathing. Step 2: Lift the roofing shingles and fasten your gutter aprons using roofing nails.
Do I need drip edge with gutters?
If the home has no gutter, the drip edge will prevent the water from running down the fascia and onto or into the soffit cavity. However, without the drip edge, the water sticks to shingles, potentially working its way under the shingles to cause a leak.Do you install drip edge before fascia?
The correct placement of a roof drip edge is on top of the roof’s exterior cover directly between the sheathing and the fascia board, which forms a drainage gap between the drip edge and the fascia board. As a result, the drainage improves water flow and protects the roof from potential water damage.
What is the difference between flashing and drip edge?The drip edges main function on the eaves is to help the water drip over the roof, away from the facia and into the gutters. The metal flashing has a small metal flange that wicks water back to make a drip around the flange and into the gutter where it can be diverted away from the roof.
Article first time published onDo you need roof flashing?
Roof flashing protects crucial areas of your roof These areas are the most vulnerable to leaks if they’re not properly protected. Installing flashing anywhere your shingles butt up against something, such as a wall, chimney, or in open roof valleys is crucial to the life of your roof investment.
What are the different types of flashing?
- Continuous flashing: Also known as “apron flashing”. …
- Drip edges: Often installed under the roofing felt along the eaves of a roof. …
- Step flashing: Step flashing is a rectangular piece of flashing bent 90 degrees in the center. …
- Valley flashing: A W-shaped piece of metal flashing.
Should roof flashing be painted?
Drip Edge Roof flashing MUST be painted to match the trim color. … If your trim is either of these colors that is fine. If your trim is white and the flashing is brown you MUST paint the flashing white otherwise the fascia will look too narrow to support the roof.
What material is used for flashing?
What materials are used for flashing? Flashing can be made from many different materials, including metal (copper, aluminum, stainless steel, lead, etc.), plastic, or composite materials. The most durable (and, therefore, most expensive) flashing material is metal sheet flashing.
What is a roofing apron?
Apron flashing is the metal that covers the transition between a roof slope and a roof penetration such as a dormer or chimney. Properly installed this flashing will protect the most vulnerable areas of a roofing system.
How far should shingles hang over gutters?
Most shingle manufacturers recommend a 1/4 to 3/8 inch overhang over your eave, which is where your roof ends by your gutter. In many cases, and particularly as home ages and settles, the roof edge at the eave edge can wave in and out by more than this amount.
Why is water dripping between gutter and fascia?
If water is dripping behind your gutter, it’s probably because it was installed without any flashing over the back of the gutter. The gutter apron will prevent the dripping. A gutter apron is a bent piece of flashing that tucks up under the shingles and over the gutter. Home centers sell a gutter apron in 10-ft.
What is counter flashing on a roof?
Counter-flashing is designed to prevent moisture from entering behind the vertical flange of headwall or sidewall flashing. Sometimes, the exterior wall-covering material serves as the counter-flashing, and sometimes a separate counter-flashing might be installed.
Do gutters go over or under drip edge?
It is recommended that gutters are placed under or ‘behind’ the drip edge of your roof. … If gutters are installed below the drip edge, water can drip behind the gutter and cause damage to the wood supporting the gutter system.
Does flashing go under or over shingles?
Flashing should overlap the roof-covering material, but on asphalt shingle roofs, for aesthetic reasons, the part of the headwall flashing that extends down over asphalt shingles is often covered with a course of shingle tabs. … Wind-driven rain can enter at these gaps, causing roof leaks.
What is a gutter drip edge?
Drip edge is metal flashing installed at the edges of the roof to keep water away from your fascia and from getting underneath your roofing components. If your roof doesn’t have drip edge, water gets behind your gutters and rots out both your fascia board and roof decking.
What is a step flashing?
Step flashing: Step flashing is a rectangular piece of flashing bent 90 degrees in the center. It is used for roof to wall flashing. Multiple pieces of the flashing will be installed in layers with shingles to ensure the water flows away from the wall. Learn how to install it below.
Why does water leak from soffits behind gutters?
If the gutters are clogged, it’s possible that the water is overflowing the gutters and this is contributing to the leak. If the gutters look clear, run a hose and fill the gutters with water. Water should run out the downspout and away from the house without filling the gutter.
Does flashing go over or under ice and water shield?
(The drip edge will be installed over the ice and water protector and other underlayments at roof rake edges.) You should install ice and water protector before other underlayments, including roof felt. Around roof features like dormers and chimneys, you should place ice and water protector below flashing.
How far should shingles hang over the drip edge?
Shingles should not extend more than 3/4” (19 mm) past the drip edge. If shingles overhang the edge of the roof by more than 3/4” (19 mm), then they are not supported and may crack and break off. In addition, the wind resistance at the roof edge may be compromised.
What is the board behind the gutter called?
The fascia board is the long wooden board behind the gutters on a house. It connects to the roof rafters, closes off the attic and serves as the mount for gutters.