Drip caps are used to redirect rainwater from windows, doors, and roofs. They can be made of various materials and can be both functional and decorative. Installation is easy, and homeowners should consider the design’s compatibility with the overall architecture of the home.
Gutters are projections placed on the outside of buildings to help redirect rainwater. Often, the drip cap is found above windows and doors, serving as a means to divert the flow of rain so that it drips away from the shot. The cap sometimes takes the form of a decorative molding, while other times it is created using sheet metal to protect the door or window frame.
A door or window drip can be made of different materials. Molding designed to divert water away from the framing can be created using brick or some other form of masonry. A piece of veneer wood can form a very simple and almost imperceptible plug that allows water to drip from the frame. When drip tray flashing is used around door and window frames, sheet metal is the most common choice.
The drip cap is also part of many roof designs. As with caps placed over windows and doors, the roof drain diverts water away from areas of the roof where water would otherwise accumulate and could cause damage. In this application, the cap diverts water so that it can flow off the roof and into the drain pipes, where it is routed away from both the roof and the exterior walls of the building.
With homes featuring vinyl or aluminum siding, these materials are often used to create the drip cap. This allows the hood to blend seamlessly into the rest of the structure, instead of looking like a feature added later. Both aluminum weatherboard and vinyl weatherboard are usually simple designs that are either the color of the siding itself or match the color of the trim around the doors or windows.
Replacing or installing one of these caps is a relatively simple process. Many caps are designed to adhere to both the exterior wall and the top of the door or window frame. Depending on the materials used, wood glues, screws, and other common building materials are used to handle the installation process. Mass-produced drip caps usually come with step-by-step instructions to aid in the installation process, making it a relatively easy task for any homeowner to replace or install drip caps when needed.
Since a drip stopper can be strictly functional or even decorative, homeowners should look into several designs before making a purchase. Decorative caps can increase the visual appeal of the home, if they are similar in style to the overall architecture of the home. However, a decorative cap can sometimes have a negative impact on the appearance of the exterior. When this is the case, choosing a simple and relatively understated cap would be a better option.
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