Are Gutters Required By Code

International energy conservation code iecc climate regions.

Are gutters required by code.

Downspouts and gutters are sized in relation to rainfall on this basis. In order to decide for yourself whether rain gutters are necessary for your home it is best to first weigh the facts. Local codes may require that drainage systems only be designed for the latter. 1 if the roof overhang eave is less than 6 inches.

2 if the home has a footing and foundation wall not a thickened edge concrete slab foundation like most newer homes and is in an area that has expansive clay or collapsible soils. Drive around any neighborhood in san diego los angeles riverside or orange county and you are going to see some homes that have full gutter systems some that have partial gutters and some with no gutters at all. They are generally not required by law on a sloping roof and many modern homes omit them even in instances where they are beneficial. From my cursory knowledge of building code gutters are never explicitly required although r 801 3 requires some controlled method of drainage 5 ft from the foundation walls or to an approved drainage system.

Section r903 4 prescribes drainage requirements only for those roofs that do not drain over roof edges traditional pitched roofs do not need gutters and downspouts to satisfy code. Gutters and downspouts are not required in dry b climates as shown in the iecc climate zone map 2009 iecc figure 301 1 and table 301 1. On the other hand section r405 1 does require foundation drainage and provides fairly elaborate direction due to the importance of keeping basements dry. Chapter 8 code of miami dade county requires that roof slope drains gutters crickets and overflow scupper calculations appear on the framing plans.

Sunday august 23 2020. Rain gutters are the most controversial type of gutter. Gutters are not required by the international residential code irc or the residential edition of the florida building code fbc with two exceptions.