Downspouts

A rain gutter is only as functional as the size and number of downspouts associated with it. Standard-sized downspouts (2″ round or 1 3/4″ x 2 3/4″ rectangular) are connected to a 2″ (diameter) round drop outlet (metal sleeve) that is inserted and sealed into the gutter. The area of a standard 2″ round hole is 3.14 square inches. Considering the average rainfall in Northern California, the industry rule of thumb is one downspout for every 35-40 linear feet of rain gutter, on an average-sized roof, with little-associated leaf debris. Read on to learn more about downspout installation in Santa Rosa, CA.

More standard downspouts should be installed if there is a larger-than-average roof area or a significant amount of leaf debris. In high-leaf debris areas, having an effective gutter guard product installed on the rain gutters will dramatically reduce the number and size of downspouts necessary to drain the roof water effectively. With standard rectangular downspouts, the standard 2″ round drop outlets can be upgraded to rectangular outlets (1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″), which have an area of 3.75 square inches, and produce a 19% increase in water flow.

We suggest oversized downspouts (3″ round or 2″ x 3″ rectangular) in conditions where there is a large surface area of the roof, a heavy amount of leaf debris, or if fewer standard downspouts are desired. 2″ x 3″ rectangular downspouts come with an oversized rectangular drop outlet (1 3/4″ X 2 3/4″) that has an area of 4.81 square inches, which results in a 53% increase in water flow.

The 3″ round downspouts come with an oversized 3″ round drop outlet, which has an area of 7.07 square inches, which results in 125% more water flow than the standard drop outlets. 3″ round downspouts are standard with the 6″ half-round gutter and can also be used with the 5″ ogee gutter at full capacity. 3″ round downspouts can also be used with the 5 1/2″ fascia gutter; however, the bottom of this gutter is only 2 1/2″ wide. In this application, the 3″ round outlets must be oval to fit in the narrower gutter base, which slightly reduces the water flow capacity but still significantly increases over the standard downspouts.Upgrade to Superior Seamless Gutters today and enjoy peace of mind tomorrow. Contact us now to schedule your downspout installation in Santa Rosa, CA, and protect what matters most.