Des Plaines, IL Roofing and Exterior Repair

Roof drainage near the Des Plaines River

In April 2013, after heavy rain across the region, the river reached a record crest at Des Plaines. Flooding on that scale comes from the river, not from roofs, but on low-lying blocks every gallon that runs off a house matters during a long storm. Each inch of rain on a 1,500-square-foot roof produces roughly 900 gallons of runoff, and the gutters and downspouts decide where it lands.

On Des Plaines homes we pay close attention to:

• Gutter capacity. Original five-inch gutters on long eaves overflow in summer downpours and drop water right at the foundation.
• Downspout placement. A downspout that empties onto a patio or next to a window well sends water straight toward the basement.
• Extensions and splash blocks. Carrying water several feet from the wall costs little compared with a wet basement.
• Roof-to-wall flashing on additions, where water running down a long slope collects against a wall.

Our gutter replacement work starts by measuring each run and the roof area that drains into it.

Des Plaines roofing from the bungalow years to the 1970s

Des Plaines is one of the older northwest suburbs, and its housing spans most of the twentieth century. Near downtown and the Metra station are early frame homes and brick bungalows with hipped roofs and front dormers. Beyond them, postwar Cape Cods and brick ranches fill long, regular blocks, followed by split-levels, bi-levels and some 1970s two-stories, with apartment and condominium buildings along the main roads.

Each era leaves a recognizable set of roof problems. Bungalow dormers leak at their side walls. Cape Cods trap heat in the half-story and form ice dams. Brick ranches often have chimneys whose counter-flashing has worked loose from the mortar. Bi-levels have long, low roofs that hold snow. And many homes of every era have been re-roofed over an old layer at least once, which means the next job starts with a full tear-off.

The 25 percent rule for Des Plaines roof repairs

The City of Des Plaines separates general roof repairs from re-roofing by area. The dividing line is 25 percent of the roof within a twelve-month period: smaller repairs need no permit, and larger work needs a residential roofing permit.

In practice:

1. A flashing repair, a few replaced shingles or a new pipe boot can usually be done without a permit.
2. Replacing one full slope of a simple gable roof crosses the line, because one side of a two-sided roof is about half of it.
3. Several smaller repairs in the same year count together, so we ask what has already been done.

When a roof repair lands close to the line, we measure it, tell you which side it falls on, and pull the permit when one is needed.

Wind on the O’Hare side of Des Plaines

Several recent storms tracked across the airport next door. The National Weather Service confirmed a brief EF-0 tornado on July 12, 2023 that crossed from O’Hare toward Park Ridge, and during the July 15, 2024 derecho another EF-0 crossed the airport from Bensenville to Rosemont. Both tracks passed close to Des Plaines, and storms like these push strong straight-line wind across the open ground around the airport.

The usual findings here afterward are lifted and creased shingles on the windward slopes, ridge caps blown loose, and limb damage under old trees. Our storm damage inspections document each slope with dated photos, so you have a clear record of the roof’s condition.

Flat roofs on Des Plaines apartments and storefronts

Des Plaines has a lot of multifamily and mixed-use buildings, from downtown storefronts with apartments above to courtyard and walk-up buildings along the main corridors. Most have low-slope roofs with parapet walls, internal drains or scuppers, and decades of patches. We repair and replace these roofs with modern membranes, rebuild parapet flashing and coping, and give owners and condo boards photo reports they can plan around. Our flat roofing page covers the membrane options.

Roof and exterior problems we see in Des Plaines

• Overflowing five-inch gutters and downspouts discharging at the foundation
• Dormer side-wall leaks on bungalows
• Ice dams over Cape Cod half-stories
• Loose chimney counter-flashing on brick ranches
• Overlay layers that force a full tear-off
• Parapet and drain leaks on flat-roofed apartments and storefronts

Areas we work in

Downtown Des Plaines near the Metra station · Homes along the Des Plaines River · Cumberland area · Rand Road corridor · Lee Street and Mannheim Road corridor · Golf Road and Oakton Street area · Neighborhoods near Lake Opeka

Des Plaines roofing questions

Do I need a permit to fix part of my roof in Des Plaines?

It depends on the area. The city draws the line at 25 percent of the roof within a twelve-month period. Small repairs such as flashing, a vent boot or a patch of shingles need no permit; larger work, including replacing a full slope, does. We measure the area and tell you before work starts, and we check with the city when a job sits right at the line.

Will bigger gutters help keep my Des Plaines basement dry?

Gutters cannot stop river flooding, but they can keep the roof’s own runoff from adding to the problem. Properly sized gutters, enough downspouts and extensions that discharge well away from the foundation remove one of the most common sources of basement seepage during heavy rain.

Can you repair a leaking flat roof over a Des Plaines storefront?

Yes. We find the source, which is often parapet flashing, a clogged drain or an old patch, and repair it with compatible materials. If the membrane is past repair, we quote a replacement and talk through how the work can be phased around your business.