Quick answer
Do porch and piazza roofs need gutters in Charleston? Almost always. A porch roof sits right over the steps, the door and the porch floor, so without a gutter every summer storm pours onto the spots people walk and soaks the porch woodwork. The two things to get right are the upper roof, which often drains onto the porch roof, and the downspouts, which should run down a corner post and empty away from the steps. For a free written estimate call (843) 867-2267 or get a free quote.
Porch life
Why porch roofs need their own plan
Lowcountry living happens on the porch. That makes the little roof over it one of the most important rooflines on the house.
Charleston is known for its porches. Downtown, the classic Charleston single house has its piazzas running down the long side. In Mount Pleasant’s Old Village and West Ashley you see deep front porches, and newer neighborhoods from Daniel Island to Summerville are full of screened back porches.
A porch roof is different from the main roof in a few ways. It sits low, often right at the height of the door and the top step. It usually has a gentler pitch. And everything under its edge gets used every day: steps, railings, porch swings and the floor itself.
Summer is porch season and storm season
NOAA’s normals for Charleston International Airport put the four months from June through September at 25.79 inches of rain, close to half the year. Most of it comes as afternoon thunderstorms, right when people are out on the porch. Without a gutter, the porch edge becomes a waterfall over the steps, and splash soaks the bottom of the posts and the edge of the floor.
Source: NOAA NCEI climate normals, Charleston International Airport, 1991 to 2020 period.
Two roofs
When the main roof drains onto the porch
The most common porch gutter problem does not start on the porch at all. It starts one roof up.
| What is happening | What goes wrong | The usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| An upper downspout empties onto the porch roof | A stream runs down one stripe of the porch roof and floods the gutter at that spot | Carry the downspout down to the porch gutter, or past it to the ground |
| The main roof spills over its own gutter | Water pounds the porch roof below in every storm | Clean or resize the upper gutter first |
| The porch gutter is a short run with one small outlet | It cannot drain both roofs and overflows at the steps | A larger outlet or a second downspout |
| No porch gutter at all | A sheet of water over the steps and soaked posts and flooring | A seamless run sized for the water it receives |
The fix is usually a short run of downspout from the upper gutter down to the porch gutter, so the water arrives in the trough instead of on the roof. Then the porch gutter has to be big enough to carry both roofs. On a lot of houses that one change ends years of overflow over the front steps.
Downspouts
Where porch downspouts should go
A porch downspout has to drain well and stay out of the way. Usually that means a corner, a post and a clear path out.
- At an outside corner of the porch, not beside the steps or the door.
- Run neatly down a post or column and strapped to it.
- Emptying where the ground slopes away from the porch, never onto a walkway.
- On a raised home, carried past the edge of the structure.
Raised homes on the islands and along the marsh need extra care, since a porch downspout can drop a full story before it reaches the ground. The coastal and raised home gutters page explains how we route that water out from under the house.
Historic piazzas
On a single house in the historic districts, piazza roofs are part of what the Board of Architectural Review looks at. The BAR guidelines generally ask for half-round gutters with round downspouts, made from copper, aluminum or galvanized steel. Our historic district gutter guide covers what to check before ordering, and our gutter styles page shows half-round next to K-style.
The upkeep
Keeping porch gutters clear and the woodwork dry
Porch gutters sit low, so they are easy to see and easy to check. They also fill fast under live oaks.
- Look at the porch ceiling.Stains or peeling paint along the outer edge mean water is getting behind the gutter.
- Press on the trim.Soft wood along the porch edge is rot, and it needs to be fixed before a gutter can hold.
- Watch the steps in a storm.Water pouring onto the steps means a clog, a sag or an undersized run.
- Clean on schedule.Twice a year in most yards: when the spring live oak drop ends, and when the fall straw is down.
When the wood behind a porch gutter has gone soft, our fascia board service replaces it before the gutter goes back up. Leaky seams and sagging runs are a quick gutter repair, and BroGuard gutter guards keep live oak leaves out of low runs. For the space under a raised deck, look at our under-deck ceiling systems. Every job is handled by the Mount Pleasant crews of owner and Marine Corps veteran Gabe Gomez. Start with gutter cleaning.
Water pouring off your porch roof? Call (843) 867-2267
Get a Free QuoteLocal tip: stand at the bottom of your porch steps during the next afternoon storm and look up. If water is landing on you, trace it back. Most of the time it is coming from the roof above the porch, not the porch roof itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the Lowcountry, almost always. The porch edge sits over steps, doors and the porch floor, so without a gutter summer storms pour onto the places people walk and soak the posts and flooring.
Often an upper downspout is emptying onto the porch roof, so the small porch gutter is draining two roofs. Running that downspout down to the porch gutter and sizing the outlet for both usually fixes it.
At an outside corner of the porch, strapped down a post, emptying where the ground slopes away from the house. Keep it clear of the steps, doors and walkways.
The Board of Architectural Review guidelines generally ask for half-round gutters with round downspouts, made from copper, aluminum or galvanized steel. Check with Preservation staff before ordering.
Water is usually getting behind the gutter, from a clog, a sag or a gap between the gutter and the trim. Check the wood for soft spots before the gutter is rehung or replaced.
Free estimates
Want a dry walk up your porch steps?
Book a free written estimate with our local crew. We will look at both roofs, the porch gutter and every downspout, and show you how to keep the water off the steps.
The Brothers That Just Do Gutters · Charleston · (843) 867-2267 · Veteran owned and operated in Mount Pleasant, serving the Lowcountry