Seamless Gutters for Chicago-Area Homes, Sized for the Roof Above

Signs you may need gutters & downspouts

• Water sheeting over the front edge in heavy rain, even right after a cleaning
• Gutters pulling away from the house or sagging between hangers
• Peeling paint, dark stains or soft wood on the fascia behind the gutter
• Drips at the seams and corners of sectional gutters
• Puddles, washed-out mulch or a damp basement wall below a downspout
• Thick icicles and ice ridges hanging from the gutter line every winter

Sizing seamless gutters for Chicago downpours: 5-inch or 6-inch?

The size is the width across the top of a K-style gutter, the profile with a flat back and a molded front that most suburban homes use. A 5-inch gutter is common on houses and works for many roofs. A 6-inch gutter carries noticeably more water and is worth the upgrade when:

• a large roof plane drains to a single run, as on many ranches and long two-story backs;
• the roof is steep, so water arrives faster and tends to overshoot a narrow gutter;
• a valley funnels two roof planes into one short stretch of gutter;
• the house sits under trees and needs room for debris and a guard.

Thickness matters too. Residential aluminum gutters are commonly sold in roughly .027-inch and heavier .032-inch stock; the heavier gauge better resists ladder dents and the twisting load of ice. Half-round gutters suit some older and historic houses but generally move less water than a K-style gutter of the same width.

Downspouts: size, number and placement

A gutter can only drain as fast as its outlets. Many older homes have 2-by-3-inch downspouts; a 3-by-4-inch downspout has twice the opening, clogs far less often and pairs naturally with 6-inch gutters. A common rule of thumb is one downspout for every 30 to 40 feet of gutter, and long runs are often pitched from the middle toward an outlet at each end.

The gutter itself needs a slight, steady fall toward each outlet, commonly about a quarter inch per 10 feet. Too little and water sits; too much and the gutter looks crooked against the roofline.

Placement deserves as much thought as size. A downspout that empties across a walkway becomes an ice slick in winter. One that dumps an upper roof onto a lower one scours the shingles below and should be extended down to the lower gutter instead.

Hidden hangers, ice and winter loads on gutters

Gutter installation details matter most in winter. Older gutters were often hung on long spikes driven through the gutter into the fascia, and every freeze and thaw works them loose. Hidden hangers clip inside the front lip and screw through the back of the gutter into the fascia, ideally into the rafter tails behind it. Spacing them roughly every two feet, closer below valleys and where snow slides, keeps the gutter straight under a load of ice.

Gutters do not cause ice dams. Ice dams form when heat leaking from the house melts snow on the upper roof and the water refreezes at the cold eave. But a gutter packed with ice adds serious weight to the roof edge and can pull hangers out or bend the gutter. Setting the gutter slightly below the line of the roof slope lets sliding snow pass over it instead of tearing it down. If your eaves ice up every winter, the lasting fix is in the attic; our ice dam guide explains why.

Gutter guards: which type suits which house

Guards reduce how often gutters need cleaning. None of them reduce it to never.

• Micro-mesh stretches a fine stainless or aluminum mesh over a frame. It blocks maple seeds and most pine needles, but fine debris and shingle granules can film over the mesh and need brushing off.
• Perforated metal screens stop leaves well and cost less, but small seeds and needles slip through.
• Reverse-curve hoods rely on water following a rounded nose into a slot. They shed leaves well, but in a downpour on a steep roof some water can overshoot.
• Foam and brush inserts are inexpensive and easy to fit, but they trap debris themselves and must be pulled out to clean.

In winter, any guard can hold a cap of snow and ice on top of the gutter, one more reason for solid hangers. Our article are gutter guards worth it? covers the trade-offs, and the gutters and guards materials page compares products.

Fascia rot, grading and where the water goes

When old gutters come down, we check the fascia boards behind them. Water that runs behind a gutter, because no drip edge or gutter apron bridges the gap, slowly rots the board the gutter hangs from. Rotted fascia is rebuilt before new gutters go up; see soffit and fascia repair.

At the other end of the system, water needs to land well away from the foundation:

• Downspout extensions or splash blocks carry water several feet out, farther on clay soil and near basement windows.
• Codes based on the International Residential Code call for the ground to fall away from the foundation at least 6 inches in the first 10 feet. Settled soil and built-up mulch beds often reverse that over time.
• Underground lines to a pop-up emitter or a daylight outlet keep extensions out of the mower’s way, but they must be pitched and kept clear.
• Check your village’s rules before redirecting downspouts. Many communities do not allow roof water into the sanitary sewer, and some restrict discharge toward neighboring lots.

What it costs

Gutter pricing depends on linear footage, the number of stories, gutter size and gauge, how many corners and downspouts the house needs, guards, any fascia repair found when the old gutters come off, and underground drain work. Two-story runs take more ladder or lift time than single-story ones. Your estimate lists each of these separately.

How the work goes

1. Measure

   We measure each roof plane and gutter run and mark where every downspout will discharge.

2. Remove and inspect

   Old gutters come down and the fascia and roof edge behind them are checked for rot.

3. Form and hang

   Seamless runs are cut to length and hung on hidden hangers with a steady fall to each outlet.

4. Downspouts and discharge

   Downspouts, extensions or underground connections are installed to carry water away from the house.

5. Water test

   We run water through the system to confirm every run drains and nothing drips at the joints.

Gutters & Downspouts questions

My house has no gutters. Should I add them?

Usually, if the roof drains toward the foundation, a walkway or a basement window well. Without gutters, roof water lands in a line along the house, splashes soil onto the siding and soaks the ground right where the basement wall sits. A few houses manage without them, typically ones with wide overhangs, good grading and no basement. Before gutters go on, the fascia has to be sound enough to hold hangers, and the roof edge needs drip edge so water lands in the gutter rather than behind it.

Can gutters be installed in winter?

Yes, on dry days without heavy snow or ice on the roof edge. Aluminum forms fine in the cold. The limits are the sealant at miters and end caps, which needs temperatures above its label minimum to cure, and ice frozen into the old gutters, which has to be cleared before they come down.

My downspout runs into an underground pipe. Should I keep using it?

Only if you know where it leads and that it flows. Many older homes have clay or plastic drain lines that have cracked, filled with roots or silt, or tie into a sewer connection that is no longer allowed. A blocked line backs water up right beside the foundation. Run a hose into it: if water backs up or never appears at an outlet, have a plumber camera the line, and meanwhile redirect the downspout above ground.

Why do my gutters overflow at the inside corners?

Inside corners usually sit below a valley, where two roof planes funnel their water into one spot at speed. The water shoots across the gutter and over the front lip. A valley splash guard, a larger gutter on that run, or an extra downspout close to the corner usually solves it.