Skip to content

Gutters · Pembroke Pines

Gutters in Pembroke Pines, FL

In Pembroke Pines, a 5-minute downpour in a 10-year storm falls at 10.7 inches an hour, and a 100-year burst reaches 15.4. Standard gutters were not sized for that. Pick the gutter size, downspout count and discharge point with those numbers in mind, then keep the system clear before June.

Request a quote407-242-2840

Updated October 2026

A cream-colored two-story office building with a sloped roof, framed by blurred palm fronds in the foreground.
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: CBP responds to Hurricane Irma by Glenn Fawcett, Public domain, cropped

Rainfall and sizing

Your gutter size depends on how heavy the rainfall in your area tends to be

The 1-hour rate is lower than the 5-minute burst: 3.36 inches an hour in a 10-year storm. Over 24 hours, a 10-year storm drops 8.03 inches and a 100-year storm 14.2. The short burst is what overflows a gutter, because water arrives faster than the downspout can drain it.

White rectangular downspout running from the gutter down a sand-colored stucco wall, turning through an elbow into an extension that rests on a concrete splash block on the lawn, carrying water away from the foundation (illustration)Illustration

Illustration: downspout splash block

Florida's plumbing code gives each gutter size a flow capacity. A 5-inch half-round at the lowest listed slope carries 74 gpm, and a 6-inch carries 110. By our arithmetic, that is about 49 percent more capacity for one size step, which is why many Pembroke Pines roofers lean toward 6-inch gutters on larger roof planes.

Downspouts matter as much as the trough. The code lists a 3-inch round at 92 gpm and a 4-inch round at 192 gpm. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport logs 60.95 inches of rain a year, so a gutter here works hard for months at a time.

Code and drainage

Downspout discharge and where the water lands

Florida Building Code Residential R318.5 requires gutters with downspouts when eaves project less than 6 inches, with exceptions for gable end rakes and a roof above another roof. Keep each downspout outlet a minimum of 1 foot out from the wall of the house. A tail extension, splash block or underground pipe all meet that rule.

The same section is a termite-protection rule, so it protects the slab edge as well as the wall. Single-family detached homes make up 46 percent of housing units here, and many sit on lots where the discharge point is a short stretch of lawn. Check that water runs away from the house and not toward the next wall.

Many Pembroke Pines homes are likely 30 years old, since the median build year is 1992. Existing gutters from that era were probably sized for lighter rain and may show sags, loose fasteners or joints that no longer seal. Code calls for corrosion-resistant fasteners compatible with the gutter metal.

Upkeep

Leaves, hurricane season and cleaning schedule

About 71.9 percent of the area's yearly rain falls May through October, with June the wettest month at 9.55 inches. The hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Clear gutters before June, not after the first storm.

A Florida home insurer advises cleaning at least twice a year, spring and fall, and more often under overhanging trees. A live oak can spread 60 to 120 feet and drops leaves that litter gutters. When thunder is audible, stay off the roof and ladder, as NWS Miami advises.

Rain on your roof

Preset: 8.03 inches, the 10-year 24-hour rain (NOAA Atlas 14 at Pembroke Pines).

10,005 gallons run off that roof, all of it toward the gutters and downspouts.

Math: square feet × inches × 0.623 gallons.

Request a quote

Questions

Gutters in Pembroke Pines: questions

What size gutters do homes in Pembroke Pines need?

Many homes here do well with 6-inch gutters and larger downspouts, because a 5-minute, 10-year downpour falls at 10.7 inches an hour. The plumbing code lists a 6-inch half-round at 110 gpm against 74 gpm for a 5-inch. Actual sizing depends on your roof plan area and pitch, so have the roof measured before choosing. Ask the Pembroke Pines Building Department if you are unsure what applies to your house.

Source: NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Pembroke Pines 2020 Census internal point (26.0147, -80.3402), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

How far from the house must a downspout discharge?

At least 1 foot from the sidewall. Florida Building Code Residential R318.5 allows underground piping, tail extensions or splash blocks to do it. The rule exists partly for termite protection. On a typical Pembroke Pines lot, point the discharge toward open lawn or the street side, away from the foundation and the neighbor's wall.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., R318.5 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription); FBC-Building 1503.7, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

When is the best time to clean gutters in South Florida?

Clean them in spring and fall at minimum, and once more before June. About 71.9 percent of the annual rain at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport falls May through October, so debris in the trough before then causes overflow at the worst time. Oak leaves and pollen peak in spring. Homes under heavy tree cover need more frequent cleaning.

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Did Hurricane Eta really drop that much rain here?

Yes. NOAA's report on Hurricane Eta in November 2020 lists Pembroke Pines with the highest U.S. storm rainfall total, 20.74 inches. Under the Atlas 14 figures for this town, a 100-year 24-hour storm is 14.2 inches, so Eta's total sits above that figure. Clogged gutters during a rain like that send water into the fascia and the wall line.

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta (AL292020), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Nearby

Gutters near Pembroke Pines

Sources for this page(34)
  1. 1.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ian (AL092022). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Single-family detached share of housing units: 46%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Median year homes were built: 1992. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Wikipedia, 'Pembroke Pines, Florida' (revision 1374719117). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.NWS Miami, Weather Safety - Lightning. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.Permit office: City of Pembroke Pines - The Building Department. City of Pembroke Pines - The Building Department. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  11. 11.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta (AL292020). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.2023 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").
  13. 13.2023 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).
  14. 14.2023 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").
  15. 15.2023 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").
  16. 16.thig.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.ask.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.blogs.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Pembroke Pines 2020 Census internal point (26.0147, -80.3402), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Pembroke Pines 2020 Census internal point (26.0147, -80.3402), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.City of Pembroke Pines - The Building Department, ppines.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, B25034, B25024, via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  25. 25.Florida Building Commission, 'Setting New Standards for Safety: The Florida Building Code' (2004 publication; wind-speed figures in it are outdated and not used), Florida Building Commission. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.Florida Statutes, section 553.842 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.Florida Building Commission, Florida Building Commission. 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.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.NOAA Atlas 14 at Pembroke Pines: 10.7 in/hr (5-minute, 10-year). NOAA Atlas 14 Precipitation Frequency Data Server. Read Oct 5, 2026.

South Fork Roofing

Gutters in Pembroke Pines

Answer a few questions about the job, or call.

Request a quote407-242-2840
CallGet a quote