Are gutters necessary for homes in Georgia?
Short answer. For most Georgia homes, yes. Heavy downpours, red clay that drains slowly and erodes, and many homes with basements or crawl spaces mean roof water dumped at the foundation leads to erosion, wet basements and rotting trim. Codes generally require controlled roof drainage only where expansive or collapsible soils exist, so the case for gutters is mostly practical.
What gutters protect
- Foundations and basements: a 2,000 square foot roof sheds more than 1,200 gallons in a 1 inch rain. Without gutters, that lands in a line along the foundation.
- Soil and landscaping: Georgia clay erodes into trenches under the eaves and splashes up onto siding.
- Siding, windows and doors: water sheeting off the eaves soaks lower walls, splashes back, and rots thresholds and trim.
- Walkways and steps: sheets of water over an entry mean slippery steps every storm.
When you might do without
- Homes with wide overhangs, well drained soil, good grading away from the house, and no basement.
- Eaves where drip line drainage is handled by a gravel trench or French drain designed for it.
- Small outbuildings where splash does not matter.
What the code says
The residential code requires a controlled method of roof drainage, discharging at least 5 feet from foundation walls or into an approved drainage system, where expansive or collapsible soils are known to exist. Otherwise it leaves gutters to the owner. Some HOAs and neighborhoods have their own requirements.
Making them work
Gutters only help when downspouts discharge well away from the house, with extensions or underground drains, and when they are sized for the roof. In leaf country, plan for regular cleaning or guards. See gutter sizing, seamless gutters and guards and pine needles and leaves on your roof.