You hear it everywhere, “bigger is better,” but is that true for gutters, specifically, are oversized gutters
better? The answer is up to the specifications of your home and your local environment. Figuring out
whether you need larger gutters can be done alone, but it’s a challenge best tackled when you work as a
team with a trusted gutter service provider. Once you determine what size gutter is best for your home,
you can get them installed and ensure that your home is protected from the elements.
How big can gutters be?
For residential applications, the largest gutters you will usually see are 6-inch gutters. However,
commercial 7 or 8-inch gutters can be used on a home; however, this is usually overkill, as regular
residential gutter systems are generally sufficient for even very large homes. In general, there is very little
difference in oversized gutters versus regular gutters for residential applications except for the fact that
large gutters may look out of proportion on your home. 5 and 6-inch gutters are generally recommended
for residential applications.
Are larger gutters worth it?
Larger gutters are worth it in the case that your standard 5-inch gutters are not handling rain effectively.
However, it is important to investigate the reasons why your gutters are not holding up to the challenges
of weather. In the case that your gutters are clogged or damaged, a simple repair and cleaning may solve
all your gutter problems. If there’s nothing wrong with your 5-inch gutters and they are still overflowing,
larger gutters would be worth it as they protect your home from overflow and other damage. Analyzing
the oversized gutters vs regular pros and cons can help you make an informed decision for your next
gutter installation. oversized gutters vs regular gutters are better able to manage water, but they come with
the cost of being more expensive and heavier on your home which can lead to damage if they are not
properly reinforced.
What are the best gutters for heavy rain?
The best gutters for heavy rain also depend on the specifications of your house. If you have a small to
medium-sized house with a roof surface area under 1400 square feet, and a normal roof pitch, your 5-inch
gutters should be perfectly capable of handling even the heaviest rain. However, if your house happens to
be larger with a larger roof surface and a steep pitch, heavy rain can put a damper on things for 5-inch
gutters – quite literally. For these specific cases, 6-inch gutters can be a crucial component in protecting
your home from water damage. If you want to know more specifically what would work best for your
home, consulting with a gutter professional can help you decide whether five or six-inch gutters would be
right for you.
What are the biggest gutters available?
The biggest gutters that are commercially available are generally 8-inch gutters. However, if you contact
a gutter manufacturer, it’s likely that extra wide gutters could be made larger for a specific project. Gutters
that are larger than 8 inches would cost significantly more due to the custom gauge and material used.
It’s also important to consider oversized gutters versus regular pros and cons; extra-wide gutters and
oversized gutters can be useful for some applications, but they are often bulkier and weigh more, which
can cause difficulty for the structure of most residential properties. Also, in this case, it’s not very good to
over-prepare for rainwater, as 6-inch gutters are generally sufficient for even the largest homes. If you are
curious about the gutter options available to you, contact GutterPros for a free consultation.