West Austin Gutters installs and replaces gutters in Barton Hills and Zilker, inside the City of Austin. Most homes here are mid-century or older, close to Barton Creek, Zilker Park and Barton Springs. The work is mostly replacing aging gutters on long, low rooflines and sending roof water somewhere useful instead of straight down a hill toward the creek.
What gutters have to handle in Barton Hills and Zilker
Mid-century rooflines. Barton Hills was platted beginning in 1956, in six sections with more than 1,500 lots, and building went on through the 1990s. Its earliest houses were postwar Contemporary designs. Zilker is older: its first homes went up in the late 1920s. Long, low roofs mean long gutter runs, and on a low-pitched roof, debris and water both move slowly toward the gutter.
Hills that drain to the greenbelt. Barton Hills runs right up to Barton Creek and the Barton Creek Greenbelt on its west side. Many lots slope toward the creek or toward the street, over limestone with little soil. Water from a downspout runs fast and carries whatever it picks up: mulch, soil, and lawn chemicals.
Barton Springs downstream. Barton Springs, in Zilker Park, is fed by the Edwards Aquifer. The USGS says creeks crossing the recharge zone supply most of the aquifer’s recharge, through sinkholes and fractures in the limestone, which is why Austin voters passed the Save Our Springs ordinance in 1992. Sending roof water across planted ground instead of bare dirt or pavement is the better habit in this part of town.
Trees. Older streets have grown-in live oaks, which drop leaves and tassels mostly in March and April, and pecans and cedar elms that drop in fall.
Common gutter problems in homes like these
- Second- or third-generation gutters reaching the end of their life on homes from the 1950s through the 1970s: sagging spike hangers, leaking end caps, and seams that have been resealed many times.
- Too few downspouts on long runs. One outlet at the end of a 50-foot run often overflows in the middle in a hard May or October rain.
- Low-slope roof edges where water creeps behind the gutter and stains or rots the fascia, because there’s no drip edge or gutter apron.
- Downspouts that discharge onto steep bare ground, cutting small gullies across the yard.
- Remodels and second stories that doubled the roof area without anyone upsizing the gutters.
Recommended setup for this area
- Seamless aluminum gutters in 5-inch for most single-story roofs, and 6-inch where a second story or a steep addition drains onto the system. See gutter replacement.
- More downspouts, not just bigger gutters, on long runs: an outlet at each end and sometimes one in the middle.
- A gutter apron or drip edge so water can’t run behind the gutter on low-slope roofs.
- Rain barrels or a cistern on a downspout or two. Texas law bars HOAs from banning rainwater harvesting, qualifying rainwater harvesting equipment (used for harvesting, not ordinary roof drainage) is exempt from state sales tax, and Austin Water has offered rebates (check its current terms). See rainwater collection gutters.
- Discharge onto planted ground that slopes away from the house and doesn’t push water toward a neighbor’s lot. See downspouts and drainage.
Flood check before drainage work
Parts of this area are close to Barton Creek and Lady Bird Lake. Before we bury a drain line or add a dry well near the creek side of a lot, look up the address in the City of Austin’s ATXFloodPro map. Gutters don’t change a flood zone, and work in a mapped floodplain can come under city floodplain rules.
FAQ
Do I need a permit to replace gutters in Barton Hills?
Barton Hills and Zilker are in the City of Austin. The city’s list of work exempt from a building permit covers fascia, trim and soffit repair, but it doesn’t mention gutters, so we confirm with Austin Development Services for your job. If the work includes buried drainage in a floodplain or added paving, the city’s floodplain and impervious-cover rules may also apply.
Should I add rain barrels when I replace my gutters?
It’s a good time to do it, because downspout locations are being planned anyway. A barrel or cistern catches water from the first part of a storm and slows runoff headed downhill. Overflow still needs a safe discharge point.
Why do my gutters overflow in the middle of the run?
On long single-story runs, this usually means one downspout is serving too much roof, or the gutter has lost its slope and holds water in a low spot. Adding an outlet and re-hanging the run on hidden hangers usually fixes it.
What size gutters do mid-century Austin houses need?
Many single-story homes do fine with 5-inch gutters and enough downspouts. Homes with second-story additions, steep roof sections or valleys that concentrate water often need 6-inch. We measure roof area and pitch before deciding.
Get a Barton Hills or Zilker gutter estimate
Quotes are free, written and itemized after we measure on site. Every quote is written and itemized after we measure: linear feet, gutter size and material, number of stories, downspouts, guards and any fascia repair are listed as separate lines. We also work in nearby Rollingwood and upstream along the creek in Barton Creek and Lost Creek.
Book a free gutter quote. We measure on site and send a written, itemized quote.