Skip to content

Gutters · Palm Beach Gardens

Gutters in Palm Beach Gardens, FL

In a 10-year storm, rain in Palm Beach Gardens can fall at 10.2 inches an hour for five minutes. That is a burst, not a steady rain, and it fills a gutter fast. Gutters here have to be sized and drained for that short, heavy rate, not for the light rain most people picture.

Request a quote407-242-2840

Updated October 2026

White statue of a robed figure on a beige wall framed by palm trees under a 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: Cathedral of Saint Ignatius Loyola - Palm Beach Gardens 06 by Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Sizing for local rain

How much rain your gutters have to carry in Palm Beach Gardens

A brief spike is what counts here, not the amount collected across the whole day. A 1-hour rain in a 10-year storm falls at 3.25 inches an hour here. Over a full day, a 10-year storm drops 9.13 inches. A gutter sized only for the daily total would overflow in the first minutes of a hard downpour.

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

Palm Beach County gets a lot of rain on average. At West Palm Beach International Airport the 1991 to 2020 normal is 61.75 inches a year, and 86.1 days a year bring 0.10 inch or more. Most of that falls from May to October. Roughly two thirds of the yearly total arrives in those six months, so gutters in this county stay wet for long stretches.

Sizing rules here start from roof area and slope. Under the plumbing code, a 6-inch half-round gutter at 1/8 inch per foot carries 110 gallons a minute, about 49 percent more than a 5-inch one. A downspout of 2 by 3 inches carries 92 gallons a minute, so the downspout size can limit the whole run. Ask for the roof area and the rain rate to be used in the calculation, not a catalog default.

Code and drainage

Downspout placement and where the water goes on your lot

Under Florida's residential code, buildings with eaves extending less than 6 inches need gutters and downspouts, unless the spot is a gable end rake or a roof rests on top of another roof. Each downspout must discharge at least 1 foot from the side of the building, whether by underground piping, a tail extension or a splash block.

Many homes here sit on lots where the water has nowhere obvious to go. Palm Beach Gardens was laid out as a garden city on former cattle ranch and pine land, so check that each downspout ends where the lot slopes away from the house. Water that runs back toward the foundation is the most common drainage problem on these lots.

Trees and cleaning

Leaves, pollen and pine needles that clog local gutters

Southern live oaks are semi-evergreen and drop litter that becomes a real problem in gutters. Mature trees can reach 60 to 80 feet with a spread of 60 to 120 feet. Oaks and pines are major pollen producers here, and the pollen season runs January to June, peaking in March and April.

  • After the spring oak leaf drop and pollen, in late April or May
  • Before the June to September storm season
  • After the autumn pine needle peak, from late November into December
  • More often under a heavy canopy

Clogged gutters can cause water damage, mold, roof damage, pest problems and foundation issues, according to one Florida home insurer. Fine-mesh guards did better than larger-hole screens in one independent test, but none kept a severe downpour fully out, and they still need brushing in high-pollen areas.

Rain on your roof

Preset: 9.13 inches, the 10-year 24-hour rain (NOAA Atlas 14 at Palm Beach Gardens).

11,376 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 Palm Beach Gardens: questions

How hard does it rain in Palm Beach Gardens?

A 5-minute downpour in a 10-year storm falls at 10.2 inches an hour in Palm Beach Gardens. A 25-year storm reaches 12 inches an hour for five minutes, and a 100-year storm reaches 14.8. Over 24 hours, a 10-year storm drops 9.13 inches and a 100-year storm drops 16.2 inches. Gutters that handle the daily total can still overflow in the first minutes of a hard burst. Confirm the design rain rate with the building office before you buy.

Source: NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Palm Beach Gardens 2020 Census internal point (26.8488, -80.1671), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

How many gallons a minute can a gutter carry?

The plumbing code gives capacities in gallons a minute. A 5-inch half-round gutter at 1/8 inch per foot carries 74 gallons a minute, and a 6-inch one carries 110. A 2 1/2 by 3 inch downspout carries 92 gallons a minute, while a 3 by 4 1/4 inch downspout carries 192. The downspout can limit the whole system, so size both together. The roof area and rain rate used in the math should match this county's rainfall.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th ed., Chapter 11 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Where should my downspout discharge in Palm Beach Gardens?

The residential code requires each downspout to discharge at least 1 foot from the building wall. Your options include buried pipe, an extended downspout tail, or a splash block. Keep water away from the foundation, especially on lots that slope back toward the house. Many homes in Palm Beach Gardens were built around 1995, and older gutter layouts often need their outlets moved to meet current spacing. Check the lot after a hard rain to see where the water actually goes.

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 should I clean gutters under oak and pine trees in Palm Beach Gardens?

Clean them in late April or May after the oak leaf drop, before the June to September storm season, and again in late November or December after the pine needle peak. Clean more often under a heavy canopy. One Florida insurer recommends at least twice a year, and more often with overhanging trees. Brushing is needed in high-pollen months even with guards installed. Many homes in Palm Beach Gardens date from around 1995, and older systems with sagging sections tend to trap debris faster, so an inspection each season is worth the effort.

Source: ask.ifas.ufl.edu, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Nearby

Gutters near Palm Beach Gardens

Sources for this page(32)
  1. 1.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Hurricane Matthew (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Wikipedia, 'Palm Beach Gardens, Florida' (revision 1373593296). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.NWS Miami, 'Palm Beach Gardens EF-2 Tornado - April 29th, 2023' StoryMap. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Median year homes were built: 1995. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.2023 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").
  9. 9.2023 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).
  10. 10.2023 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").
  11. 11.ask.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.blogs.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.thig.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.consumerreports.org. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Palm Beach Gardens 2020 Census internal point (26.8488, -80.1671), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Palm Beach Gardens 2020 Census internal point (26.8488, -80.1671), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.NWS Miami, 'Hurricane Milton' StoryMap (Oct 9, 2024 tornado outbreak; preliminary data), storymaps.arcgis.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.Fla. Stat. 489.105(3)(e), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.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.
  23. 23.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.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.
  25. 25.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019), NOAA National Hurricane Center. 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.City of Palm Beach Gardens - Building Division, City of Palm Beach Gardens. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (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. 31.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.NOAA Atlas 14 at Palm Beach Gardens: 10.2 in/hr (5-minute, 10-year). NOAA Atlas 14 Precipitation Frequency Data Server. Read Oct 5, 2026.

South Fork Roofing

Gutters in Palm Beach Gardens

Answer a few questions about the job, or call.

Request a quote407-242-2840
CallGet a quote