A Few Considerations Before You Upsize Your Gutters

The bigger the gutters, the greater the volume of the water it can collect. In general, bigger gutters are better for areas that experience a lot of rain, such as Seattle, but it can be an overall good decision even if your area is as dry as a bone. After all, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

If you want to push forward with this decision, there are several factors you need to account for. In today’s post by Patriot Roofing, your trusted  roofing  contractor, we introduce three of the most significant when upsizing from a standard five-inch to a bigger six-inch gutter system.

The biggest factor, arguably, is how much rain falls in your area. Standard five-inch gutters can’t accommodate high-rainfall areas. At a standard slope of ½” per 10 feet, a five-inch gutter can only handle 3,540 gallons per hour. A six-inch gutter, meanwhile, can drain up to 5,840 gallons per hour at the same slope.

While this seems excessive, remember that the United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that for a standard roof that measures 40 by 70 feet, just an inch of rain can produce up to 1,743 gallons of water. Obviously, the steeper the roof the gutters are attached to, the more rain it can accumulate.

Which brings us to the next factor: slope.  Roof repair  and replacement contractors use a ratio to determine roof pitch, or the slope of the roof. You can do so yourself by using a 2-foot level and tape measure. Level the former against the roof and measure the distance between the roof and the level midway, at 12 inches. The gap between the roof and that midway point is the pitch. A gap of six inches, for example, is 6:12.

The higher the number of the first number, the steeper the slope. And the steeper the slope, the more rain it collects.

In general, downspouts (or drain pipes) are placed every 30-40 feet. If your area is wetter than usual, you can place downspouts every 20 feet, but it would likely mar your house’s facade. Another alternative is to make the downspouts bigger as well.

Patriot Roofing specializes in roof replacement, repair, and  gutter installation. Call us today at (405) 289-8807 to learn more about our services. You can also  fill out our form  to get started. We serve residents of Moore, OK, and nearby areas.

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