When shingles lift, flap or blow off along the eaves and rakes, the problem is often the starter course: it is missing, it was made from upside-down or cut shingles that put the sealant in the wrong place, or the shingles overhang the edge too far. The roof edge is where wind pressure is highest, so a weak starter shows up there first. The correct repair is a manufacturer starter product with the right overhang over the drip edge, plus hand-sealing, not nails through the face of the first course. This page is general information; your roofer and building department make the final call.
On this page: Signs · Causes · What to check · Repairs · Basis · When to call
Signs of a weak roof edge
- The first row of shingles at the gutter line lifting or flapping in wind.
- Missing shingles along the rakes (the sloped side edges of a gable).
- Shingles hanging well past the metal edge, curling down, or sagging into the gutter.
- Stains on the fascia or soffit right at the edge, where water got behind the first course.
What goes wrong with starter courses
- No starter at all. The first course is nailed straight to the deck with nothing sealing its bottom edge.
- Upside-down shingles as starter. The sealant ends up up-slope instead of at the edge.
- Cut three-tab under laminates. The lengths differ, so joints eventually line up with the first course and leak.
- Starter on the eaves but not the rakes. Rakes take high wind pressure too.
- Wrong overhang. Too far out gives wind leverage; too short lets water wick back under.
- No drip edge to support the edge and carry water off. See fascia rot and drip edge.
What you can see from the ground
- Stand back from each gable end and look along the rake with binoculars. A clean, straight line of shingles slightly past the metal is normal.
- Look along the eave for lifted or wavy first courses and for shingles hanging far into the gutter.
- After wind, check the yard below rakes and eaves for pieces.
- Note which side failed. Edge damage on the windward side is typical when the starter is weak.
Do not lean a ladder on the gutter to lift shingles; the edge is easy to damage and the gutter can fold.
The repair
| Repair | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Hand-seal the first course and rake shingles with roof cement | Starter is present but sealant never bonded |
| Remove the edge courses, install drip edge and a proper starter, relay and hand-seal | A short run of edge is missing starter |
| Replace the roof with starter on all eaves and rakes | Edges fail all around or the shingles are brittle |
Fixes that fail: face-nailing the first course, gluing upside-down starter, and trimming overhang without fixing the starter under it.
Manufacturer and code basis
Owens Corning’s starter and hip and ridge bulletin (Pub. 10023709-A, August 2023) says its lifetime shingles call for an Owens Corning starter product, that laminate or three-tab shingles used upside down as starter are not acceptable because the sealant ends up in the wrong place, and that cut three-tab starter under laminates causes joint offset problems that can leak. Its Duration instructions set the starter overhang at 1/4 to 3/4 inch past the drip edge at eaves and rakes and field shingle overhang at 1/2 to 1 inch. The 2024 IRC, section R905.2.8.5, requires drip edge at eaves and rakes with the underlayment over it at eaves and under it at rakes. IBHS’s FORTIFIED Roof standard calls for a fully adhered starter strip and wider drip edge for a stronger edge.
When to call
Call when the first row of shingles is lifting, when rakes lose shingles in wind, or before buying a home with a young roof that already has edge damage. Related guides: creased and unsealed shingles, high-nailed shingles and the roof problems guide.
Get the edges checked
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. We photograph the starter, drip edge and overhang at several points and explain whether the edge can be repaired. Colorado Springs area: (719) 488-2800 or a free inspection. Denver metro: (303) 209-0152 or a free Denver inspection. Austin: (512) 610-5897 or a free Austin inspection. Same-business-day reply.
Sources: Owens Corning, Use of Hip and Ridge and Starter with Limited Lifetime (Pub. 10023709-A); Owens Corning Duration installation instructions (starter course); 2024 IRC Chapter 9, section R905.2.8.5 (UpCodes); IBHS, FORTIFIED Roof.
