What are the best gutters for a metal roof?
Why metal roofs are different
Metal panels are smooth, so rain picks up speed and leaves the eave in a fast stream. In a Georgia downpour, water can shoot right over a narrow gutter, especially on steep pitches. Metal roofs also tend to have long, uninterrupted panels that deliver their water to the eave all at once.
What works best
- Width: 6 inch K-style, or larger on big or steep roofs.
- Downspouts: 3 by 4 inch, and more of them, so the gutter empties as fast as it fills.
- Placement: the panel's edge should end over the gutter, not past its outer lip. Some installers hang the gutter slightly lower or further out on metal roofs.
- Strong hangers: closer spacing and screwed hangers handle the weight of fast-arriving water.
- Splash diverters: at inside corners where two roof planes meet, a short diverter stops water from overshooting.
Mixing metals
Water running off one metal onto another can cause galvanic corrosion. Copper is the main concern, since copper runoff can corrode aluminum and galvanized steel below it. Aluminum gutters under painted steel or aluminum roofs are a common, compatible pairing. Use fasteners recommended for both materials.
Snow and debris
Snow guards matter more in the north Georgia mountains than in metro Atlanta, where sliding snow is rare. Debris matters everywhere; fine mesh guards work with metal roofs when they attach to the gutter and fascia rather than tucking under the panels. See metal roofing in Georgia and gutter sizing, seamless gutters and guards.