Why gutters give up on the Central Coast
A lot of rain on not many days
Gosford's yearly 1,314.7 mm falls on only 94.7 rain days, and February alone averages 189.9 mm. Gutters that are undersized, sagging or short of downpipes overflow in those bursts, and the water tends to end up in the eaves or down the wall.
Salt near the surf
For gutters, downpipes and fascia, BlueScope recommends ZINCALUME or standard COLORBOND only when the house is more than 200 m from salt marine influence, and COLORBOND Ultra from 100 m. Any closer, ask the roof plumber what they'd use and why.
Box gutters on bush fire prone land
A box gutter sits inside the roof line instead of hanging off the edge. The RFS says to avoid them on bush fire prone land, so if you're replacing one near the bush, ask whether the roof can drain another way.
Older homes
Old gutters can be asbestos cement, which ASSEA's product guide lists among roofing materials. If yours look like cement rather than metal, have them tested before anyone cuts or pulls them down.
What a good gutter job includes
The NCC sets the basics: a fall of at least 1:500 towards the outlets, brackets no more than 1.2 m apart, a way for overflow to escape, and no more than 12 m of gutter feeding each downpipe. A slotted front or a small gap at the back lets a downpour spill outside the house rather than into the eaves.
Don't mix metals. BlueScope warns that zinc-coated (galvanised) gutters can corrode early under a COLORBOND or ZINCALUME roof. Joints should be sealed with neutral cure sealant, and air conditioner drains belong on the ground, not in the gutter.
Gutters and downpipes are roof plumbing work in NSW. Over $5,000 including GST, the person doing it needs a roof plumbing contractor licence.
Questions to ask before you choose
- What gutter size and how many downpipes are you allowing for, given how hard it rains here?
- How far is the house from salt water, and which steel does that call for?
- Will the new gutters be slotted or set with a back gap so overflow spills outside?
- Are you replacing the fascia as well, or only the gutters?
- If my block is bush fire prone, what would you do about the box gutter and the leaf guards?
- Can I have your NSW roof plumbing licence number for the quote?
What we'd do
If most of the run is rusting or sagging, we'd replace it as one system, with enough downpipes for Gosford's downpours and steel that suits the distance from the surf. If it's one damaged length on otherwise sound gutters, a repair is fine. And if the old gutters might be cement, we'd get them tested before anyone touches them.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.