One of the problems that homeowners experience with their gutter systems is overflowing. The water is supposed to travel along the gutters and reach the downspouts where the water can be safely disposed of, but some gutters allow water to pool and spill over the edge. This can cause damage to the home and negate the benefits of having gutters. While repairing your gutter will help solve this problem, there are many cases where your gutter system cannot be fixed because the climate you live in has such heavy rain.

When Your Gutters Appear Fine

Sometimes, your gutters are simply clogged and this is preventing water from flowing out of your gutters, which requires a good cleaning. Other times, your gutters may sag and this may prevent water from flowing to your downspouts. These are problems that will need to be solved by a gutter repair specialist. However, if it appears that there is absolutely nothing wrong, your gutters might just not be large enough.

Downspout Size

Downspouts need to be large enough to handle the volume of water that will be traveling down the gutter. 5-inch K-style gutters and 6-inch half rounds are usually large enough to handle the rainfall that most homes experience. However, if your home is experiencing more rainfall than it is able to handle, you may want to look for a larger downspout. This is not only true for homes that are found in climates that have very heavy downpours, but also homes that have very steep roofs.

In addition to purchasing downspouts that have a larger diameter, it makes sense to have additional downspouts installed so that there are more locations where the water can travel to escape. Having extra downspouts also allows for there to be more downspouts that haven't yet become clogged by leaves and debris. At a minimum, there should be a downspout every 40 feet.

Sizing the Gutters

When in doubt, go for the largest gutter size that you need. Roofs that have different drainage areas may have different gutter requirements, so always choose the largest size. The minimum size that your gutters should be is based on multiplying the drainage area by the rainfall intensity and the roof-pitch factor. Areas where run-off is a major problem will need as large as an 8-inch gutter. They will require a custom order and will be more expensive, but it will save you more money in the long run.

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