Do all homes need rain gutters?

Question

I live in Florida.  Most of the homes in my community do not have rain gutters.  the houses were built in 2001.  Why wouldn't they have rain gutters?

KMS Woodworks · Answer

Cheap builders?

Rain gutters should be on every home...Period.   Even out here in the desert west  we have gutters...the lack of them in rainy florida makes no sense.

Z · Answer

I'm with Kevin. It makes no sense at all.

Shari · Answer

Funny, I actually never gave it any thought before but neither of the 2 homes I have owned in the Tampa Bay area have had rain gutters.  One house was built in 1956, and the other in 1978 so the absence of rain gutters is definitely not a 'new' trend, or specific to your neighborhood community.  Both of my houses have had sloped roofs and a fairly wide overhang which seems to allow the water to run off the roof a couple feet from the exterior walls/foundation.  Maybe it has something to do with the design/style of homes we have here in Florida??  Or maybe it's just the 'norm' for our region--like basements are common in many parts of the country but rare in Florida.  I don't really know.  It would be interesting for other Floridians to comment on this.

Dee W · Answer

My daughter just moved to Holly Hill and half of her house has gutters.  Where there are none there is a long overhang so I assumed it had to do with design or some such thing.

Z · Answer

It does make sense if the deep overhang is mixed with the right grading to keep water away from the home.

Diane H · Answer

I don't have a deep overhang.  must just be cheep builders.  I'm going to get gutters.  thanks everyone.

Douglas Hunt · Answer

It's very common for homes in Florida not to have gutters. Mine was built in 1960 and doesn't have them. I believe it's a combination of the fact the sandy soil means there usually are not drainage issues, and that most homes are built on concrete slabs without basements.

Diane H · Answer

my house is built on a concrete slab.  if so, do i need to be concerned with damage to the foundation from water?

Douglas Hunt · Answer

If you are concerned, you should have a professional come and look, Diane. But I think if you have typical soil and your property has been graded properly, it should not be an issue.

Michael · Answer

I live in Tampa area and during the rainy seasons, we get a ton of water. Several areas north of Tampa are prone to sink hole activity. Also, north and west of Tampa land that once was swampland is now rich with residential communities (some with poor grading) . I would always recommend getting gutters, a cheap investment to save the permeter of your home from getting a ton of water dumped around it. Basement and concrete slab or not. In my opinion. Especially if its going right into your landscaping beds and over flooding your plants, situational, I suppose.

Redcatcec · Answer

Just had to look this up, here is an interesting link, kind of a guide to the issue of gutters:

https://homereference.net/are-gutters-necessary/

Do all homes need rain gutters?

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Do all homes need rain gutters?

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