# No starter strip!?!



## hockeyhead (Sep 13, 2005)

*No starter strip!?! Help!*

I just had a detached garage built on my property and discovered that the contractor did not use a starter strip on shingles over the aluminium drip edge. So if you lift up the first row of shingles there is no starter strip of shingles and the drip edge was nailed on top of the felt on the eaves as well as the gable ends. Supposedly there is ice dam barrier under all of that but still!! This seems very incorrect to me, water will be able to get between the cracks in the first course and slide under the drip edge and even if the ice dam barrier is there to protect the sheathing it would seem like water could get right to the soffits etc. Am I correct? If so, what should I do, short of sueing my contractor and re-roofing? Please help!


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## KenTheHandyMan (Sep 1, 2005)

Well, aside from sueing your contractor  just get some roofing tar and smear it under the first course to hold it down to the drip edge, since that is the primary function of the starter course. Ideally, I install the drip edge on the eave first, then felt, but I have worked for other contractors that installed all the felt, then installed all the drip edge, I've never been called back in with either method.

Remember, just looking at a bucket of tar will get it all over you, so don't wear any clothes you happen to like.


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## hockeyhead (Sep 13, 2005)

KenTheHandyMan said:


> _Well, aside from sueing your contractor
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## KenTheHandyMan (Sep 1, 2005)

You know, honestly, I don't know if that is a code violation or not. You are supposed to cut 6" off the end of a shingle (and here some roofers differ as to whether you should cut the tabs off or just flip the shingle around so that you're using the top as the bottom, and of course there is 'special' starter strips that you can buy as well.) I'm not a big fan of letting any kind of 'goop' do anything but seal. The best thing would be to check with your building inspector to see if it is a code violation. Were you required to pull a permit for this?

Also, especially if it is a violation, it's not impossible to pop off the first course of shingles and install the starter. Mention it, tell him your concerns, and request that he do it right. You have to hit it in the morning when the tar on the shingles will pop off, then pop the nails up (carefully). Slide the starter in (remembering to cut off 6" from the first one) and nail them back in place. Sure, you have to be careful, but it's doable.


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## Builtrite Residential (Aug 25, 2005)

I have a question on the drip edge, what is the difference with nailing above felt since this a overhang area anyway.


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## hockeyhead (Sep 13, 2005)

I got the builder back over to look at what I was talking about. Turns out that he wasn't present on site when the roofing started so he didn't see the first course go down. He hires some young guys to help him and they started the roof. He stepped up on the ladder and took a look at the job and immediately started swearing. Basically his guys boned the roof job. He's agreed to fix it, he feels he can carefully pry up the first course and slid a starter strip underneath. I will be paying close attention to the final product, you can bet on that. I give him some marks for being upfront and taking responsibility for the screw up though. Thanks for the input, hopefully this will be resolved this week.


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## jproffer (Mar 12, 2005)

> I have a question on the drip edge, what is the difference with nailing above felt since this a overhang area anyway.


There's still wood down there, overhang or not. Wood will rot if left wet for very long. I always run the felt over the drip at the eaves, and under the drip on the rakes.


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## AaronB (Jan 29, 2005)

I do not count the felt as any form of waterproofing after the shingles go on, so I like to make dsure the shingle roof is watertight, therfore not having to worry about drip edge over felt or under felt.

I install the drip edge after felt and before shingle.

The primary purpose of the starter course is not to hold the bottom shingle down, but to shed the water that gets through the butt joints and waterslots. This is the same as a course of shingles with the exposure removed.


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## KenTheHandyMan (Sep 1, 2005)

That is so true too, I shouldn't have worded it like that. I was meaning using the tar for sealing in between the shingles and after re-reading my other post I could kick myself. That's why I mentioned using 'goop' to seal. This is also why you start with an offset piece of starter shingle, so the seam don't match up. Plus I need to stop posting so late.


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## AaronB (Jan 29, 2005)

KenTheHandyMan said:


> That is so true too, I shouldn't have worded it like that. I was meaning using the tar for sealing in between the shingles and after re-reading my other post I could kick myself. That's why I mentioned using 'goop' to seal. This is also why you start with an offset piece of starter shingle, so the seam don't match up. Plus I need to stop posting so late.


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## Builtrite Residential (Aug 25, 2005)

AaronB said:


> I do not count the felt as any form of waterproofing after the shingles go on, so I like to make dsure the shingle roof is watertight, therfore not having to worry about drip edge over felt or under felt.
> 
> I install the drip edge after felt and before shingle.
> 
> The primary purpose of the starter course is not to hold the bottom shingle down, but to shed the water that gets through the butt joints and waterslots. This is the same as a course of shingles with the exposure removed.


This is the way I was taught also. I guess here in alaska we use the 6 nail and we tabb everything. High wind area that is why I have never been to worried about where the drip edge is located. Over or under as long as the roof is a sound installation. Thanks for the feedback


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