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Gutters · Cocoa Beach

Gutters in Cocoa Beach, FL

In a 10-year storm, Cocoa Beach gets a 5-minute downpour at 10.4 inches an hour, and a 100-year storm pushes that to 14.7. Gutters here are sized against bursts like that. Florida code also sets where downspouts must empty.

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Updated October 2026

Sandy beach with foamy surf and a line of seaweed, with low buildings far off on the right under blue sky.
Drone view of a single-story home with a brown-gray shingle roof and box vents under large oak trees, a metal carport roof in the corner and a street behind.Our work
Photo: Beaches of Cocoa Beach, Florida May 2023 by Benoît Prieur, CC0, cropped

Cocoa Beach figures this page uses

Median year homes were built
1975
Water share of total area
69.3%
Single-family detached share of housing units
29%

Rain and sizing

Cocoa Beach rain rates and what they mean for gutter size

The short burst matters most. A 1-hour rain in a 10-year storm falls at 3.08 inches an hour, and the 24-hour depth is 7.5 inches. Gutters overflow in the first few minutes, not at hour 24, so the 5-minute rate is the number to size against.

Close three-quarter view of a new white seamless K-style aluminum gutter along the eave of a single-story stucco ranch home with a dark shingle roof, live oaks and cumulus sky behind (illustration)Illustration

Illustration: seamless k style white

The plumbing code sizes gutters by the flow from the roof surface. A half-round 6 in. gutter at 1/8 in. per foot slope carries 110 gpm, against 74 gpm for a 5 in. gutter. That is about 49 percent more capacity for the larger size.

Downspouts limit the system too. A 3 in. round leader is rated 92 gpm and a 4 in. round leader 192 gpm. The code also says to add half the area of any wall that sheds rain onto the roof, which matters on two-story fronts above a lower roof.

Code and drainage

Downspout rules and where the water goes

Gutters with downspouts are required on buildings with eaves projecting less than 6 inches, except at gable end rakes or on a roof above another roof. That matters in a city where the median home dates to 1975, since many older houses have short overhangs.

Water is 69.3 percent of Cocoa Beach's total area, and only 29 percent of housing units are single-family detached. Many lots are small, so a 1-foot extension can end near a neighbor's wall or a walkway. Plan the route with the building division before you route water anywhere unusual.

Upkeep

Leaves, hangers and cleaning schedule

Gutters and leaders must be metal or approved plastic, with lapped, soldered or caulked joints, fastened with a corrosion-resistant device compatible with the gutter. Near the ocean, one hanger maker recommends aluminum and 16-inch spacing for added uplift resistance in coastal areas.

Oak pollen and leaf litter peak in spring, and pine needles fall most in September through November. A sensible rhythm is a cleaning after late April and May, one before the June to September storm season, and one after the autumn needle peak.

Rain on your roof

Preset: 7.5 inches, the 10-year 24-hour rain (NOAA Atlas 14 at Cocoa Beach).

9,345 gallons run off that roof, all of it toward the gutters and downspouts.

Math: square feet × inches × 0.623 gallons.

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Questions

Gutters in Cocoa Beach: questions

How big should gutters be in Cocoa Beach?

Size them against the short burst, not the daily average. The 5-minute rate in a 10-year storm here is 10.4 inches an hour. The plumbing code rates a half-round 6 in. gutter at 110 gpm and a 5 in. gutter at 74 gpm at 1/8 in. per foot slope. Roof plan area and pitch change the load, so a roofer should run the numbers for your roof before you pick a size.

Source: NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Cocoa Beach 2020 Census internal point (28.3291, -80.6275), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Where does a downspout have to empty?

At least 1 foot away from the building's sidewall. The residential code allows underground piping, tail extensions or splash blocks to get there. With Cocoa Beach's 69.3 percent water share, the ground is often wet, so check that the water has somewhere to run. Confirm local details with the City of Cocoa Beach Building Division.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 MapServer: POP100, HU100, AREALAND, AREAWATER), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Are gutters required on an older Cocoa Beach house?

The code requires gutters with downspouts on buildings whose eaves project less than 6 inches, with exceptions at gable end rakes and roofs above another roof. The median home here was built in 1975, so many houses may be older than the current rule. Whether the rule applies to an existing house depends on the work done, so ask the building division.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, table B25035, read Oct 5, 2026

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How often should I clean gutters near oaks and pines?

At least twice a year, spring and fall, and more often under overhanging trees. One Florida home insurer gives that same advice. Cocoa Beach's median home dates to 1975, so many have mature trees nearby. A live oak is described as a litter problem, with leaves and fruit, and pine needles fall most in September through November. Cleaning before June storms and after the autumn needle drop covers the main loads.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, table B25035, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Nearby

Gutters near Cocoa Beach

Sources for this page(38)
  1. 1.Median year homes were built: 1975. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, table B25035. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.NWS Melbourne, Milton tornado list (CSV). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Hurricane Matthew (2016). NWS Melbourne, Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (2016). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Water share of total area: 69.3%. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 MapServer: POP100, HU100, AREALAND, AREAWATER). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Single-family detached share of housing units: 29%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Permit office: City of Cocoa Beach Building Division. City of Cocoa Beach Building Division. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  8. 8.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 MapServer: POP100, HU100, AREALAND, AREAWATER). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.Hurricane Irma (2017). NWS Melbourne, Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (2017). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.2023 Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th ed., Chapter 11 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from COM-20 (the research cites it "as COM-20").
  11. 11.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., R318.5 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription); FBC-Building 1503.7. Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  12. 12.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 8 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from NC-2 (the research cites it "as NC-2").
  13. 13.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 9 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from COM-29 (the research cites it "as COM-29").
  14. 14.Gutterall 6K hanger. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.blogs.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.ask.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.bergerbp.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.thig.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Cocoa Beach 2020 Census internal point (28.3291, -80.6275), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Cocoa Beach 2020 Census internal point (28.3291, -80.6275), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.NWS Melbourne, Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (2016), National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.City of Cocoa Beach Building Division, cityofcocoabeach.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.NWS Melbourne, Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (2017), National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, tables B25034/B25035, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  27. 27.Brevard County, Building Code Wind Speed Maps, Brevard County. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.Florida Statutes, section 489.113 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.Fla. Stat. 489.105(3)(e), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.Florida Statutes, section 553.842 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.Florida Building Commission, Florida Building Commission. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  36. 36.City of Cocoa Beach, History at a Glance, cityofcocoabeach.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  37. 37.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  38. 38.NOAA Atlas 14 at Cocoa Beach: 10.4 in/hr (5-minute, 10-year). NOAA Atlas 14 Precipitation Frequency Data Server. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Gutters in Cocoa Beach

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