Gutter Math: Calculating Gutter Sizes to Meet Capacity

Installing high-quality gutters on your home is obviously something that’s very important. Your gutters are responsible for channeling rain, snow, sleet and other moisture off your roof and away from your home, so you want to make sure that the gutters you install are built to last. You also want to make sure you work with a professional company that will calculate your gutter sizes and help you pick out ones that will be large enough to deal with the precipitation that nature will throw your way.

If you fail to make the right calculations when installing gutters, you could end up with a drainage system that can be overwhelmed by even a moderate rain storm. To figure out the ideal gutter size for your home, it’s important to calculate the total square footage of the drainage area that a gutter will be responsible for. This isn’t difficult if you have a simple gable-end roof. You’ll just need to measure the length and width of each section of your roof to come up with the square footage. It can become a bit more complicated, however, if you have intersecting roofs, hip roofs or a different roof structure. Regardless of what type of roof you have, though, it’s important to figure out the square footage so that you know how much rain- or snow-collecting surface will be draining into your gutters.

Outside of figuring out the square footage for your roof, you will also need to keep a couple of other factors in mind. Steeper roofs can collect more windblown rain than other roofs, according to This Old House, so you will need to calculate your roof pitch to see if it will affect your gutter needs. Additionally, it’s helpful to consult the records kept by the National Weather Service find out the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. This can give you a better idea of the most extreme conditions you might expect so that you can plan accordingly.

Once you have this information, you can multiply the square footage of your drainage area by the the roof-pitch and rainfall intensity factors to better understand the volume of rain that might fall. This, in turn, will dictate your gutter needs. Typically you have a choice between recommend 5- and 6-inch K-style gutters, but the sizes can vary based on the factors mentioned here or even aesthetic preferences.

Are you confused about what kind of gutters you need for your home? While you can try and crunch the numbers on your own, the professionals at Alaska Premier Gutters know gutters inside and out. Our team can work with you and your property to plan out the ideal gutter design to accommodate your drainage needs. To learn more or to request a quote for gutters at your home, call us today at 907-272-2337.