6 Inch Gutters in Tacoma & the South Sound

You likely do if a run is over 40 feet with only one downspout, longer than 60 feet, collects water from an upper roof, or sits below an inside valley that overflows in heavy rain. Large roofs that concentrate runoff into a short run and metal roofs also call for 6 inch.

A 6 inch gutter handles about 40% more water than a 5 inch gutter, even though it is only an inch wider. That margin matters in the South Sound, where rain can settle in for days at a time.

Six inch gutters pair with 3 by 4 inch downspouts. The bigger gutter takes on more water, so it needs a bigger downspout to carry the extra flow down and away from the house. A wide gutter feeding a small downspout will still back up and overflow in a long rain.

Yes. Metal roofs are one of the situations where we recommend 6 inch gutters, because rain runs off metal fast and can carry right over a smaller 5 inch trough in a Tacoma downpour. The wider gutter catches that runoff, and 3 by 4 inch downspouts carry it away from the house.

Inside valleys funnel water from two roof planes into one short stretch of gutter, and that water moves fast. A 5 inch gutter often overflows at that spot in heavy rain. Stepping up to 6 inch is a common fix.

Installations of 6 inch seamless gutters have risen significantly in recent years. Roof pitch varies a lot from home to home, and many homeowners have found their 5 inch gutters overflow during heavy rain. A Solutionist can measure your roof and tell you if you need the upgrade.