How to Design a Gutter System That’s Sleek and Effective

Sketch out your map on paper as accurately as you can. Due to the fact that getting the sketch as close to scale as possible is important, you should use a tape measure on the ground to measure the size of your roof's edges.

This step helps to determine the size of the gutters you'll need. Also known as roof pitch, roof slope refers to the incline of your roof. Roof steepness is expressed as a ratio of inch rise per horizontal inch. Slope is often expressed as a fraction of 12. For example, a roof rising 6 inches for every 12 inches has a slope of 6/12.

The best way to determine roof slope is with a level and tape measure. First, mark 12 inches from one end of the level with a pencil. Next, put that end of the level against the roof, and, maintaining that contact, tilt the level so that the bubble is inside the two lines and is perfectly level. Just one corner of the level should be touching the roof.

Now, with your free hand, measure from the roof below the level up to the 12-inch mark you made on the level. Your measurement from the roof to the level is your “rise,” or the first number in your roof pitch, and the second number, 12 inches in this case,  is the “run.”

To determine gutter measurements when purchasing materials to get this project done, multiply your roof's square footage by your roof slope. The higher the slope and the larger the roof, the more water your gutters will need to divert at a time. Larger numbers require wider gutters that can handle the increased water volume. Below are some general guidelines to follow based on the number you get after taking measurements:

• Under 2,500: 5-in. half-round or K-style gutters

• 2,500 to 4,000: 6-in. half-round or 5-in. K-style gutters

• 4,000 to 5,500: 5-in. K-style gutters

• 5,500 to 8,000: 6-in. K-style gutters

• 8,000+: Consider K-style gutters wider than 5 inches

Always wear protective gloves and eyewear when climbing to the roof to perform measurements to avoid direct contact with debris.

There are corners where your gutters can't go because the roof stops sloping down. Mark each "stop" area with an X using black electrical tape on your fascia.

Count the areas that have been marked with X to determine how many corner pieces you’ll need.

Measure the spaces between your X marks to determine the length of each gutter piece. This information will also help you to determine how many gutter downspouts you'll need to install. You should add 1 foot for every gutter turn needed. You should also place downspouts roughly every 20 feet if your home design allows.

Mark any spot that requires a downspout with an O. You should aim for one gutter downspout every 20 feet. The best gutter design places downspouts at corners because this allows for easy water flow down the corners of a house without reducing curb appeal. However, you may need to add downspouts in the "middle" spots if you have a long home. While this is perfectly fine, you'll need to be careful not to position a downspout over doorways or windows.

Don't just rely on your blueprint to place downspouts. Another tip is to walk around your home to examine every spot where you’ll need downspouts to check elevation

If the land isn't slightly sloping away from your home in the spots where you plan to place downspouts, you may need to rethink your plans. You need a gentle slope to divert water away from your home's foundation. Without the slope, water will simply pool around your home and could compromise your foundation or cause water damage.

The first option for fixing this problem is to adjust your downspout location to a spot where the land does slope. The second option is to dig a hole or lay a pipe to reach a funnel that diverts water from your home.

If you're doing an eco-friendly gutter design that repurposes rainwater for your garden or lawn, you'll need to add rain barrels for gutters for water collection.

When selecting a good rain barrel for a garden, look for a model made of food-grade plastic that can hold at least 50 gallons. The best place for a rain barrel is directly beneath the downspout, closest to the area where you’ll need to use the water.

You can also consider installing a rain chain gutter feature to help direct water into your barrels.

After putting in the hard work of creating a custom gutter design, you won't want to see your plans fall apart. Schedule routine gutter maintenance to clear clogs and debris from your gutter.

You should clean your gutters at least twice a year. A fall cleaning is best to remove leaves before they contribute to wintertime ice dams. A spring cleaning is also a good idea to get gutters clear ahead of spring and summer rainstorms. You could get away with just one annual cleaning if you install gutter guards.

Failing to maintain gutters properly could put you in a position to deal with sagging gutters, cracked gutters, or gutters that pull away from the house. All of these issues can lead to water damage, mold, and foundation damage. Cleaning gutters and installing gutter guards is worth it just to avoid the potential damage of overflowing gutters.

With gutter cleaning costs ranging from $120 to $250, getting this task done the right way is a cost-effective preventative measure.