Key numbers
77 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Travis County, which includes Austin, from 1984 to 2025 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 5 inches (softball size) on May 20, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 1984 to 2025 | 1980s: 8, 1990s: 16, 2000s: 24, 2010s: 13, 2020s: 16 Source: NOAA NCEI |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 5 in. (softball), May 20, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $160 million insured losses (2006 dollars), April 20, 2006 Source: Insurance Journal |
| About 30 | Copper downspouts last 100 years or more, while aluminum downspouts last about 30 years, per NAHB's 2007 study. Source: National Association of Home Builders / Bank of America Home Equity, 2007 |
| About 620 | One inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof produces about 620 gallons of water that gutters must carry away. Source: Texas A&M AgriLife |
| 10 | In a 2019 IBHS ember-storm test, the half of a house with cedar siding, vinyl gutters and bark mulch ignited after 10 minutes, while the half with fiber cement siding, metal gutters and gravel survived. Source: IIBEC, 2019 |
A storm counts when NOAA lists a report in Travis County. Each hail size is the storm's largest report in the seven Austin-area counties, which may have fallen in a neighboring county, and insured losses cover every area the storm hit.
An Austin home needs gutters sized for the roof area and pitch that drain into them, with enough downspouts to empty them during a heavy downpour, and with the water carried away from the foundation. For most homes that means seamless aluminum gutters in a K-style profile, with larger 6-inch gutters and oversized downspouts on big or steep roofs and under valleys. Style choices (half-round, box) matter for looks; size and downspout placement decide whether the system works.
Gutter types we install
| Type | What it is | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Seamless | Formed on site in one length per run | Most homes; fewest leak points |
| Sectional | Pre-cut pieces joined with connectors | Small repairs and tight budgets |
| K-style | Flat back with a molding-like face | The most common residential profile; holds more water than half-round of the same width |
| Half-round | Semicircular trough | Historic and traditional homes; pairs well with copper or metal roofs |
| Box-style | Square, deep profile | Modern homes and larger roof areas |
| Gutter guards | Mesh or covers over the gutter | Homes under live oaks and other heavy-shedding trees |
We install gutters in all common residential sizes, in copper, aluminum or steel, and we install LeafGuard gutter protection, a one-piece gutter with a built-in hood. Our gutter guard guide compares hood, micro-mesh, screen, foam and brush guards.
Getting the size and downspouts right
- Measure what drains into each run. A long back slope or a valley can send far more water to one corner than the front of the house.
- Account for pitch. Steeper roofs shed water faster and push it over the outer lip.
- Add downspouts before you upsize. Two downspouts on a long run often fix overflow at a lower cost than bigger gutters.
- Send water away from the house. Extensions, splash blocks or underground drains keep roof water from pooling at the foundation and in flower beds. Our article on Austin’s top downspout and drain picks compares the options.
Gutters and your roof
Gutters and the roof edge work together. Drip edge at the eaves directs water into the gutter instead of behind it, and Round Rock requires drip edge on re-roofs; Pflugerville’s re-roof checklist includes it too. If you are planning a roof replacement, replacing tired gutters in the same project lets the edge metal and gutters be fitted at once. Hail dents gutters and downspouts, so they are part of every storm damage inspection. For the roof choices that pair best with half-round or box gutters, see Austin residential roofing. Replacing siding as well? Austin siding replacement covers the wall side of the roof edge.
Cost and next steps
See what new gutters cost in Austin. We are veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, and have 650+ Google reviews. Call (512) 610-5897 or book a free Austin inspection; we look at the roof and gutters together and reply the same business day. Gutters are available across our Austin service areas, including Bee Cave.
Sources: City of Round Rock, Other Building Permits; City of Pflugerville, Re-Roof Inspection Certificate.
