A summer thunderstorm hits, and water pours over the front edge of the gutter like a curtain, right above the front door. Then in March, the same gutter sags under a load of wet snow and ice. You’re shopping for rain gutters in the Denver metro, and you want ones that actually keep up with your roof this time.
Gutters seem simple, so it’s frustrating when they don’t work. Most of the time the problem isn’t a bad product. It’s a gutter that was never matched to the roof above it. You deserve a system based on measurements, with every size and part written down so you know exactly what you’re paying for.
APC Roofing is a GAF Certified contractor, licensed and insured, and the estimate is free. Call 720-902-6940 and we’ll measure your roof before we recommend a single foot of gutter.
How much water your roof really sheds
It’s easy to underestimate. One inch of rain falling on 1,000 square feet of roof is roughly 620 gallons of water. A typical house roof is two or three times that size, and a strong Front Range thunderstorm can drop a good share of an inch in well under an hour.
That’s why total yearly rainfall doesn’t tell you much about gutter size. Denver’s annual totals are modest, but the gutters have to survive the heaviest ten minutes of the year, not the average day. Snowmelt adds a second job: a slow, steady flow off the roof for days at a time, often into gutters that are partly frozen.
Sizing rain gutters in the Denver metro
Gutter width. Most homes get 5-inch or 6-inch K-style gutters. A 6-inch gutter carries a lot more water than a 5-inch, often around 40 to 50 percent more. Smaller, low-pitch roofs are usually fine with 5-inch. Larger or steeper roofs, and any run below a valley, often need 6-inch.
Downspout size. This is the number people skip, and it matters as much as the gutter. A standard 2×3-inch downspout handles far less water than a 3×4-inch one, which carries roughly twice as much. Upgrading downspouts is one of the least expensive ways to stop overflow.
How many downspouts. Long runs need more than one. As a rough rule, a run longer than about 35 to 40 feet does better with a downspout at each end or one in the middle, so water doesn’t have to travel the whole length to get out.
Slope. A gutter should fall gently toward the downspout, commonly about a quarter inch for every 10 feet. Too flat and water sits in low spots. Too steep and it looks crooked from the street.
Built for snow, not just rain
In the Denver metro, a gutter’s toughest day may be in winter. Wet snow and ice can weigh far more than rainwater, and it sits there for days.
Hanger spacing makes the difference. Hidden hangers spaced closer together, often every 2 feet or so where snow loads are heavy, keep the gutter from sagging and pulling away from the fascia. The fascia itself has to be solid. If the board behind the old gutters is soft, it gets replaced before anything new goes up.
Gutters also grow and shrink with temperature. A long aluminum run can move more than you’d expect between a cold morning and a hot afternoon. Good installs leave room for that movement at the ends and corners so seams don’t get pulled apart.
Choosing a material
Aluminum is the most common choice. It doesn’t rust, it’s light on the hangers and it comes in many colors. Its weakness is dents, and hail finds them.
Steel is stronger and resists hail dents better. Its finish is what keeps it from rusting, so scratches and cut edges need attention.
Copper lasts a very long time and develops a brown, then green, patina. It costs considerably more and is usually chosen for looks.
Vinyl costs the least to install, but it gets brittle in cold weather and can crack under ice and snow. In a Colorado winter, it’s rarely the best value.
Where the water goes after the downspout
A gutter system isn’t finished at the bottom of the downspout. If water spills right at the base of the wall, it soaks into the soil next to the foundation. Much of the soil along the Front Range is expansive clay, which swells when it’s wet and shrinks when it dries, and that movement can stress foundations and basement walls over time.
Downspout extensions, splash blocks or buried drain lines can carry water well away from the house. The ground around the house should also slope away from the walls. We check where every downspout drains while we’re measuring, because it’s part of the same job.
What your estimate should list
When you compare quotes, look for the gutter size and material, the number and size of downspouts, the hanger type and spacing, how the roof edge will be flashed into the gutter, and where each downspout will drain. If two quotes are far apart, one of those items is usually the reason. A single price per foot with none of that behind it makes it hard to compare.
How it works
- Book your free estimate. Call 720-902-6940 or request a free estimate online.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. We measure the roof area feeding each run, check the fascia and roof edge, and give you a written estimate with every size and part listed. Financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance.
- Your gutters get installed and the site gets cleaned up. The new system goes up and the crew cleans up before leaving.
Rain gutter questions from Denver metro homeowners
Do bigger downspouts really make a difference?
Yes. On many homes, going from 2×3 to 3×4 downspouts fixes overflow without changing the gutters at all.
How far should downspouts drain from the house?
Farther is better. A common target is at least 5 feet, and more where the soil is clay or the yard slopes toward the house.
Are vinyl gutters a good idea in Denver?
Usually not. They’re inexpensive, but they get brittle in the cold and can crack under ice and snow loads.
Should I replace my gutters when I get a new roof?
If they’re undersized, dented or leaking, it’s the best time, since the roof edge is open. See our Denver metro gutters page for more on planning both together.
Get rain gutters that keep up
Call 720-902-6940 or book your free estimate online. If you’d like fewer joints to leak, see our seamless gutters in the Denver metro page. Not sure what shape the roof itself is in? Start with a roof inspection in the Denver metro.
The goal is a dry front step in July, gutters that stay put in March and a basement that never sees the water your roof sheds.
