Look at any house and it most likely has a gutter system installed. Like houses, gutters and downspouts also come in many different styles, colors, and sizes. While the color of a gutter system doesn’t affect how the system functions, style, and size play an important role in the effectiveness of the gutter system.
Gutter systems come in many different styles; some gutter systems are open-top and shaped like a “c” while some are shaped like a “k”. They’re easy to identify because the actual gutters are not covered and are completely exposed on the top. There are also covers, filters, and screen gutter products available on the market.
In addition to style, gutters and downspouts come in different sizes. Some gutter systems have gutters and downspouts that are smaller while some have gutters and downspouts that are larger in size. With different sizes to choose from, you may find yourself wondering if gutter and downspout size matters. The answer is yes – continue reading to learn more.
Should Gutters And Downspouts Be The Same Size
When attaching a gutter to a downspout, it’s important to ensure they both have compatible outlet capacities. This means the diameter of the gutter should match that of the downspout to ensure a tight, leak-free connection. Always work in a downward direction when connecting these components (i.e., the gutter should fit into the downspout). Attaching them in the opposite order can lead to leakage problems.
Gutter Size
A gutter has two functions: collect and direct rain and meltwater away from the home’s roof and deposit it into the downspouts. While it may not seem like it, the size of the gutter can have a major impact on the gutter system’s performance. When a gutter is small, it’s unable to collect and direct large amounts of precipitation into the downspout, resulting in drainage issues.
When a gutter is small and isn’t able to collect and direct water to the downspouts, issues like overflowing gutters, rotting soffits and fascias, leaks, and even foundation damage can occur to the home. Therefore, a gutter must be large enough to handle heavy amounts of rainfall to keep the water flowing throughout the gutter system.
The K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System has oversized gutters bigger than traditional open-top gutters and allows for more water to move through the system. Living in a climate that has a very active winter with higher than average snow accumulations, it’s important to have a gutter system that allows for large amounts of meltwater to move through. Our 5-inch gutters allow for more water to flow through the system which helps keep your roof drier.
Downspout Size
While there are several types of gutter systems, downspouts work the same for all. They collect and point storm and meltwater several inches away from the home, designed to keep water away from the home’s foundation. Much like gutters, the size of a downspout affects a gutter system’s performance.
The K-Guard Gutter System has larger downspouts compared to other gutter systems. Our downspouts can handle a minimum of 23 inches of rain per hour! Open-top gutter systems and other “complete” systems are too small to handle heavy precipitation due to their smaller gutters and downspouts.
Our clog-free gutter system also has 45-degree by 45-degree inside corners that eliminate what we call “choke points” (an area inside the downspout that often accumulates debris). Because our large downspouts allow for more precipitation to be pushed through the system at a faster rate, your home stays better protected against flooding and moisture retention.
Knowing how gutter and downspout size affects a gutter system’s performance, ask yourself if your current gutter system is equipped to handle heavy precipitation. Living in Colorado means heavy snowfall and occasionally heavy rainfall and severe weather so it’s important to have a gutter system that can keep up.
Traditional, open-top gutter systems usually have smaller gutters and downspouts that aren’t equipped to handle heavy amounts of precipitation. When a gutter system’s gutters and downspouts fail to collect and direct all of the water away from the home then costly damage can occur, including the following: foundation damage, leaks, damage to the roof, rotting fascia boards, and more.
When you have a complete, clog-free gutter system like K-Guard installed the potential for damage is greatly reduced. As previously mentioned, the K-Guard Gutter System has oversized gutters and downspouts that allow for heavy precipitation to move throughout the system, eliminating overflowing and sagging gutters. K-Guard Gutter Guards are ideal for homes in Colorado because they’re able to keep up with heavy snowfall and meltwater. Our complete system is also durable enough to handle heavy snowfall and ice that can accumulate during the winter months.
If your home needs a new gutter system or if you need to replace an existing one, request a free estimate today. We proudly install the K-Guard Gutter System across the state of Colorado including, but not limited to, the following locations: Denver, Colorado Springs, Littleton, Centennial, Aurora, Boulder, and Fort Collins.
