Dear James: Whenever we have anything more than a moderate rain, the gutters overflow. When we build our new house, what design aspects should we consider in order to avoid this problem? — Gary L. Dear Gary: It is important to plan properly initially because gutter problems can take a while to show up. Several years’ accumulation of leaves, twigs and other debris may be enough to cause an overflow in a substantial rain. Overflowing is very serious can cause significant damage to the house and foundation in addition to annoying leaks. One of the key design considerations to avoid overflow problems is selecting gutters that are large enough for the size of your roof and typical intensity of rain in your area. Once the gutters capture this water, a properly sized underground drainage system is needed to carry the water away. Depending upon the type of soil and the …