Palm Beach and Broward counties get more than their fair share of rainfall throughout the year. That’s why proper gutter sloping is an essential part of any gutter installation. If done correctly, the entire gutter system looks and operates beautifully. However, some homeowners insist on doing gutter installs by themselves. While we applaud anyone’s ambition towards home improvement, some things are better left to the experts. Incorrectly sloped gutters can cost the homeowner thousands of dollars in damage. How? Let us explain.
What Is Gutter Sloping and Gutter Pitch?
A gutter’s slope (pitch) is the angle, relative to the roof, at which it is placed when installed. Think of a gutter as a see-saw, and you like a downspout. When you sit down on one end of it, you change the slope of the gutter and the water will now run downhill towards the downspout (you). The industry standard is a quarter-inch of slope for every 10 feet of gutter. Using more pitch creates esthetical issues; and, it increases the speed of the water flow, which can cause damage to the gutters.
What Is a Back Pitched Gutter?
A back-pitched gutter is a gutter that is set at an incorrect angle. For instance, if there is a section of gutter with a downspout at one end and a short section of the gutter after the downspout tilted at the same angle with no downspout of its own, then the short section is back-pitched. The water that falls into the short section will have pooling issues and overflow issues because it is tilted the wrong way. K & B Seamless Gutters would rather install your gutters correctly the first time instead of having to correct the slope of your existing gutters.
Repairing an Improperly Sloped Gutter
The cost in parts and labor involved in adjusting the slope of a gutter system vary depending on the severity of the problem. We would need to see the gutter system in question before giving an estimate quote. Generally, the existing gutter needs to be removed and set at a new slope. However, usually, leaf-guards and seals need replacing on most homes that have issues with gutter sloping. More often than not, it is better to just go with a new gutter installation.
Sloping a Gutter With Two Downspouts
If a section of the gutter is long enough, there can be two downspouts to help it drain water more efficiently. In this case, the middle of the section of the gutter becomes the highest point of the slope. If you were to look at it from eye level, it would resemble the shape of a mountain. Just like rainfall flows down from the mountaintop, the water will flow down into each of the two downspouts of the gutter section.
Protect Your Home’s Foundation
New gutter installation is an investment into the value of your home. The gutters direct water and other debris away from your home’s foundation, where it could wreak havoc if it ever got inside. Don’t take that chance, call (561) 523-1019 in Palm Beach County, or (954) 790-8040 in Broward County for a free estimate today.
