Proper Roof drainage is critical to prevent damage to the foundation of your home.  Its best is to direct all water at least 4 feet from the perimeter of the building.  This is especially important in areas that have expansive soil.  Something that most home owners do not know is if clogged gutters cause a basement to flood, this is not covered by insurance.  There are many options when it comes to rain gutters. There are different sizes and materials available. Your Excel Roofing Project Manager is an expert and can recommend the right kind of drainage system for your home.

Rain gutters come in many different styles and materials.  The best gutters are the ones that will catch and re-direct the water away from your home in the heaviest downpours.   

5 inch aluminum gutters are the most common. These are preferred for most homes, they are cost effective and do a great job.  Another possible option is 6 inch gutters. 6 inch gutters are commonly used on buildings that have large roof areas such as churches.  Another practical use for 6 inch gutters is when the roof material is elevated, such as a Spanish “S” Tile. 

Any time the roof is elevated there is a greater chance that the water will overshoot the gutters in a heavy down pour.  6 inch gutters are the best solution for this situation.

The next consideration is the size of the downspouts. 2 x 3 inch downspouts are the most common, and work well for most homes.  Anytime 6 inch gutters are going to be used, larger 3 x 4 downspouts should be used. The larger downspouts are needed to handle the capacity of the water flow that is carried by 6 inch gutters.

Gutter Materials:

Aluminum gutters are the most commonly used type of gutters. Aluminum is corrosion resistant, lightweight and will not pull the trim boards off the home.  

Steel gutters are stronger and heavier, but will rust.   

Copper gutters are much more expensive and usually only used in specialty applications. 

Plastic or Vinyl gutters are cheap, and can be easily broken. 

Excel Roofing recommends seamless aluminum gutters over steel because they hold up well, melt the snow and ice faster than steel and will never rust.

The reason that you should drain the water at least 4 feet from the building is because of potential damage to the foundation of your home. Proper drainage protects your home from soil erosion, basement flooding, and all of the damage as a result of expansive soil that gets wet, expands, breaks foundations, and causes the home move resulting in structural damage.

At Excel, we care about protecting your home just as much as you do. This is why make sure that our water systems always drain away from your home, which prevents problems. Our downspouts extend at least 4 feet away from your home and our underground drains always direct water away from your home. We often deal with gutters, downspouts and underground drains that are clogged and systems that are simply not designed right. That’s why we put a key focus on doing things right the first time.