Off the top of your head, do you know how many downspouts your gutter system has? Is it 3, 4, 5, or more? Unless you just checked or cleaned them, most homeowners don’t know how many downspouts their gutter system has. While you may not know how many downspouts you have, you know that a gutter system isn’t complete without them. They’re an essential component of any gutter system, responsible for carrying the collected water from a gutter and directing it away from a home’s foundation.
Homes in Central Virginia need a gutter system with the right amount of downspouts to keep up with heavy rains and meltwater from winter precipitation as well as other severe weather occurrences like hail and strong winds. So, how many downspouts should your gutter system have? Keep reading to learn if you should add additional downspouts to your current gutter system as well as a solution.
How Many Downspouts Does a Gutter System Need?
Homes differ in many ways from square footage to roof design and pitch as well as gutter systems. Each home is unique, ranging in design from more mainstream to more complex depending on the builder and design of the home. The amount of downspouts needed on a house varies based on these factors; a home with a complex design will have more downspouts than a home with a less complicated design.
Generally, average-sized downspouts are placed every 40 feet per span of gutter along a gutter system. This allows ample space for meltwater and stormwater to collect and drain away from the home at a pace that will keep the home protected from drainage issues. However, one downspout per 40 feet isn’t enough for smaller-sized downspouts as it limits the amount of water per hour that can be flushed through the system.
A home that has a more complex roof with dormers or multiple stories will require more downspouts to aid in the runoff of stormwater and meltwater. A single-story home would require fewer downspouts than a home with multiple stories as each story should have its own downspouts. These additional downspouts on upper levels should run directly into the first-story gutters to keep the roof drier and protected against excess water.
If I Don’t Have Enough, Should I Add More?
Now may be a good time to take a look at your current gutter system. Go ahead, we can wait. On a serious note, you should look at your gutter system next time you’re outside to determine if it needs additional downspouts. An easy way to determine if you have enough downspouts on your existing gutter system is to measure them; if your downspouts are 2”x3” and are every 40 feet, you may want to consider adding more. On the contrary, if your downspouts are oversized and placed every 40 feet, you probably don’t need to add more.
Oversized downspouts have a larger capacity to flush stormwater and meltwater through, unlike small downspouts that can’t handle large amounts of meltwater and stormwater, forcing excess water to spill over the gutter/downspout and putting strain on the entire gutter system. Possible damage as a result of not enough downspouts can be foundation damage, damage to the home’s siding, roof damage, and even damage to the soffit and fascia board. Drainage issues caused by a faulty gutter system can be a nightmare to deal with, something that luckily can be avoided.
A Solution for Every Homeowner in Central Virginia
Contacting a gutter installation company to install additional downspouts can be pricey, especially if your existing gutter system is older or damaged. While you can add additional downspouts, it’s a hassle as opposed to installing a new gutter system with plenty of downspouts and oversized gutters and downspouts – the K-Guard System.
The K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System is the most durable and effective gutter system for homeowners in Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Danville, and surrounding cities. K-Guard is seamless and has a curved hood that keeps all debris like leaves, pine needles, and even pests out while flushing large amounts of water through the system at a rapid pace. Your home will be protected from drainage issues and you’ll never need to clean your gutters again – most homeowners despise gutter cleaning.
Our downspouts are 3×4 inches, larger than traditional 2×3 inch downspouts. They can handle any form of precipitation from torrential downspouts to snow and everything in between. Our gutters are also oversized, measuring 5 inches, allowing more water to be flushed through the system compared to other smaller systems. K-Guard will never have issues that traditional half-round gutters or open-top gutter systems have thanks to its durability and performance. With a lifetime warranty, your K-Guard System will look good as new decades down the road.
Want to install K-Guard? Contact us for a free estimate. Home Evolutions VA delivers a 5-star experience and has decades of experience and many happy lifelong customers. We’re located in Lynchburg, Virginia and we cover the surrounding areas.
