Five-inch K-style or six-inch half-round gutters should have enough capacity to protect the average home from rain and moisture damage. However, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach in gutter installation projects. The correct gutter size ultimately depends on your area’s rainfall and your roof’s pitch.
In this post, our roofing contractors at Ken Morton & Sons elaborate show you how to calculate the correct size for your gutters:
Measure Your Roof’s Watershed Area and Square Footage
Measure your roof to get its watershed area, the area from which water will run off. Afterward, multiply the length of your roof by its width to get its square footage. Make sure to jot down these measurements.
Find Out the Rainfall Intensity in Your Area
The Weather Bureau keeps records of the rainfall intensity in metropolitan areas. Rainfall intensity is usually measured in a 5-minute interval and translated to inches per hour. It’d also be a good idea to take note of how frequent storms pass through your area.
Calculate Your Roof’s Needed Drainage Capacity
Divide your roof’s inch per hour watershed by your area’s rainfall intensity to get an estimate on how much water your roof can drain during heavy rainfall. This same estimate should also give you an idea of how much rain runoff your gutters would need to divert. After getting the estimate, ask a contractor or local hardware store about what size your gutters need to be to handle that much runoff. Don’t forget to ask them about the recommended size of your gutters’ downspouts as well.
Let the Professionals Handle Gutter Installations
Given how just one miscalculation can compromise your roof’s protection against moisture damage, it’s best to let a professional gutter contractor or a GAF® Master Elite roofer handle your gutters’ installation.
Looking for certified contractors in your area?
Ken Morton & Sons, a GAF Master Elite contractor, offers a wide range of professional exterior services, including roof and gutter installations as well as siding repair. To get a free quote call us at (856) 582-8800 or fill out this form. We serve homeowners in Woodstown, NJ, as well as the surrounding communities.
