Gutters in Land O' Lakes, FL

The Florida Building Code, Plumbing, sizes horizontal gutters by flow. At 1/8 inch per foot, a 5-inch half-round carries 74 gallons a minute and a 6-inch carries 110. By our arithmetic from those two numbers, the 6-inch carries about 49 percent more. If a wall sheds rain onto your roof, add half that wall's area to the roof area you size for.

Downspouts are sized the same way. A 3-inch round leader handles 92 gallons a minute, and a 4-inch round handles 192. More roof area per downspout means a larger leader or more of them.

Many homes here are likely older than the 1999 median build year suggests, so original gutters may be undersized or sagging. Hanger spacing matters too. One hidden-hanger maker lists 24 inches on center as standard and 16 inches for storm-prone areas.

The residential code ties gutters to eave depth. If your eaves stick out less than 6 inches, you need gutters with downspouts, unless the edge is a gable end rake or the roof sits above another roof. With 15,067 housing units here and a 1999 median build year, plenty of Land O' Lakes houses were built under this rule.

Each downspout has to empty at least 1 foot out from the wall. Underground piping, a tail extension or a splash block all satisfy it. The rule comes from the termite-protection section, so it protects your slab as well as your walls.

Of the 14,262 occupied homes counted here, 82.9 percent are owner-occupied, so most of these drainage fixes are yours to make. The county building office issues permits for Land O' Lakes. Confirm with Pasco County Building Construction Services whether your gutter work needs one.

Gutters must be metal or approved plastic, with lapped, soldered or caulked joints and corrosion-resistant fasteners. Under live oaks, which drop leaves year-round, plan on cleaning in late April to May, before June storms, and after the autumn pine-needle peak.