Gutters and Drainage in Los Angeles County

Why gutters matter in a dry city

Los Angeles gets its rain in short heavy bursts. A roof can drop hundreds of gallons in an hour. Without a path, that water lands at the base of the wall, soaks the soil, and finds the slab.

Overflowing gutters also rot fascia board and feed the wood pests that come with it.

Sizing and layout

Five inch K style gutter is standard on homes. Six inch is worth it under a large or steep roof, and it clogs less often. Valleys dump a lot of water at one point, so a downspout belongs near every valley.

Downspouts should carry water to a drain line or a splash block that pushes it well away from the wall.

Guards and cleaning

Guards cut the number of cleanings but none of them make a gutter self cleaning. Fine debris still gets through and sits.

Plan on a fall cleaning before the rains and a spring cleaning after the bloom. Under pines, make it three.