Homeowner guide
5-Inch vs 6-Inch Gutters
Gutter size is about how much water reaches each foot of gutter during the hardest rain of the year, not how big the house looks.
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Capacity
Why size matters in a monsoon
A gutter overflows when water arrives faster than it can travel to a downspout. That depends on how much roof drains into it, how steep the roof is, and how hard it rains.
Albuquerque's total rainfall is low, but monsoon storms produce short, very intense bursts. That is why we size for the burst, not the yearly total.
Rule of thumb
Which size to choose
| Situation | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Single-story, average roof, few valleys | 5-inch with 2×3 downspouts |
| Two-story home | 6-inch with 3×4 downspouts |
| Steep pitch (8/12 or steeper) | 6-inch |
| Valley dumping onto one corner | 6-inch at that run, or extra downspout |
| Pine needles or big trees | 6-inch plus guards |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do 6-inch gutters look too big?
On most two-story and larger homes they look proportional. On small single-story homes 5-inch is usually the better look.
Can I mix sizes?
Yes. We can put 6-inch on the problem runs and 5-inch elsewhere.