Gutter Questions, Answered

Call or use the contact form to schedule a time for us to walk the property. We measure the roofline, check fascia condition, count corners and downspout locations, and note any grading or drainage concerns. We then send a written estimate that itemizes the work. Reach out for an estimate when you are ready.

It helps but is not required for the outside portion. We can measure the exterior and leave the estimate in your door or email it. If you have specific drainage problems you want to point out, being there makes the walk-through quicker.

Check that it lists the gutter material and thickness, the profile such as K-style or half-round, downspout size and count, hanger type, and whether existing gutters are being removed. Also look for notes about fascia condition. Rotten fascia needs to be addressed before gutters are hung, and it should be flagged in the estimate.

We install seamless aluminum gutters in .027 or .032 thickness. Aluminum holds up well to humidity and rain, and seamless runs mean fewer joints that can separate. .032 is a heavier gauge that is often a good choice for homes with a lot of tree cover or long roof slopes.

It depends on roof area, slope, and how many downspouts the layout allows. A steep roof with a large surface can send water over the lip of a 5-inch gutter in a heavy thunderstorm. We wrote a 6-inch guide that explains the trade-offs. Many Jacksonville ranch homes do fine with 5-inch, but two-story sections often benefit from 6-inch.

Most homes use 2x3 downspouts with 5-inch gutters and 3x4 downspouts with 6-inch gutters. The larger opening handles more water and clogs less often. We look at roof area and outlet placement to decide. Read more about downspouts and how we size them.

With proper pitch and hanger spacing, seamless aluminum gutters commonly last 20 years or more in Northeast Florida. The main things that shorten their life are overflowing water that rots the fascia behind them, heavy debris sitting wet for weeks, and loose fasteners. See our lifespan guide for more detail.

No guard stops everything. Pine needles and fine oak pollen can still get through some designs. A good guard keeps out most leaves and larger debris, so the gutters flow longer between cleanings. We install guards that sit flush with the roofline and shed debris well in Jacksonville's pine-and-oak canopy.

Guards stretch the interval, but not forever. It is wise to check once a year, ideally in late spring after live oaks finish their heavy leaf drop. Even with guards, small particles can settle in the trough and need to be flushed out.

Walking on a wet or steep roof is dangerous. Many Jacksonville homes have a shallow pitch, which helps, but a ladder and a standoff stabilizer are safer for reaching the gutter edge. If you are not comfortable on a ladder, hire someone to do the cleaning.

Some roof manufacturers have rules about attachments that penetrate the roof deck. The guards we install typically slide under the shingle edge and fasten to the gutter, not through the shingles. We recommend checking your roof warranty before adding any guard system.

At least four to six feet from the foundation, onto a splash block or into a buried drain line that daylights downhill. With sandy soils and slab foundations common here, water near the slab can still cause erosion and settling. We extend downspouts away from the house during installation.

Gutters are not designed for hurricane-force winds, but they still move water off the roof during the heavy rain bands that come with tropical storms. Properly fastened gutters with enough downspouts reduce the amount of water dumping next to the foundation, which matters when the ground is already saturated.

The most common reasons are that the gutter is pitched wrong, the downspouts are too small or too few for the roof area, or the outlets are partially blocked inside. Sometimes a valley dumps so much water into one spot that it overwhelms any gutter. A larger outlet or an extra downspout can fix it.