Gutter Installation and Repair in Schaumburg: Built for Snow, Ice and Leaves

Why do gutters pull away from the house in winter?

Ice and snow add heavy load, and ice dams can lock gutters in solid ice that drags them down as the ice shifts. Loose or widely spaced hangers, and fascia softened by water, make it worse. The fix is stronger hanging, but the cause is often the ice dam and the attic heat behind it.

If your gutters are torn off every winter, fixing them again without addressing ice is a repeat bill. The ice dam prevention page explains the cause.

The roofer can add hangers at closer spacing and use heavier gutter, but neither is a cure for a steady supply of ice.

How often should gutters be cleaned on a wooded lot?

At least twice a year, once in late autumn after leaves have fallen and once in spring. Houses under oaks, maples or pines may need more. Clean gutters before winter so meltwater can drain, and look at the downspouts, which clog at the elbow.

Cleaning is a ladder job and a common cause of falls. Many people hire it out, and a roofer can sometimes do it alongside other work.

Wooded streets in Medinah, Wayne and Hoffman Estates are the typical case for twice-yearly cleaning.

What does fascia damage behind a gutter tell me?

Soft, stained or peeling fascia behind a gutter means water has been getting behind it, from overflow, a leaking seam or a gutter hung too low. The wood must be dried or replaced before new gutter goes up. Gutter hung on rotting wood will sag again, usually within a season or two.

Fascia is the board that closes the end of the rafters at the eave, and the gutter's hangers bite into it. When water runs behind the gutter, it soaks the board from behind and from the top. Paint peels first, then the wood softens, then it splits.

A good roofer probes the fascia with a screwdriver tip before quoting. Ask whether replacement boards are included, priced per foot, or left as an unknown that may be added after the gutter comes down.

Where should the downspouts empty?

Away from the foundation, onto ground that slopes away from the house, or into a drain if one is available. Short downspouts that dump at the wall can soak the soil, push water into basements and crawl spaces and heave walkways. Extensions or splash blocks usually cost little and help.

Check with the village before connecting downspouts to a storm sewer or a sump, since rules differ. A roofer can tell you what is common but the village sets the rules.

Ground that holds water near the foundation is a signal to talk to a drainage contractor as well.

Do gutters need a permit?

Usually not for repair or like-for-like replacement, though rules differ by village. Gutter work is often done together with roofing, which may require a permit. Ask the roofer and the building department about your address if the gutter replacement is part of a reroof.

This site does not state the rule for each village. In Schaumburg, a reroof permit applies to the roof, and the roofer will say whether gutters are included.