Wheaton Roofing, Gutters and Siding, from Victorians to Bi-Levels

Built-in box gutters on older Wheaton houses

Some of the older homes north of downtown and around the college still have built-in gutters, also called box gutters: troughs framed into the roof edge, lined with metal or, later, with roll roofing. When the lining cracks, nothing spills over the edge where you would notice it. The first sign is often peeling paint on the cornice or a stain on an upstairs ceiling.

These can be saved. We strip the old lining, repair the wood trough, and reline it with a modern membrane or soldered metal, then tie the new roof underlayment into the gutter so water has nowhere to go but the downspout. If you prefer, we can instead close the trough in and hang a conventional gutter, though that changes the look of the cornice.

The same houses tend to have steep main roofs, porch roofs at a much lower pitch, and plank decking. A re-roof here takes more planning than a ranch, and the estimate should say so.

Wheaton roofing through the decades

1. Late 1800s to 1920s: Victorians, Foursquares and early bungalows near downtown and Wheaton College. Complex roofs, built-in gutters, plank decks.
2. 1920s to 1940s: Tudor and Colonial Revival homes and brick bungalows. Steep gables, chimneys, and dormers that need careful flashing.
3. 1950s and 1960s: Ranches and bi-levels on wider lots. Low pitches, long eaves and attached garages.
4. 1970s to 1990s: Subdivisions toward Butterfield Road and the Danada area. Hip roofs, skylights, and the hardboard siding of the period.
5. Recent decades: Townhomes and condos near downtown and new houses on teardown lots.

The weak spots of a Wheaton bi-level roof

The mid-century bi-level, with its split entry and garage tucked under the bedrooms, is common across Wheaton. Its roof is usually a single low-pitched gable, which sounds simple, but it hides three recurring problems. The shallow pitch drains slowly, so worn shingles leak sooner than they would on a steeper roof. The small attic leaves little room for ventilation, so many of these roofs bake in summer. And the little roof over the front entry often ties into the main wall with flashing that rusted through long ago.

On a bi-level roof replacement we add continuous ridge ventilation where the ridge length allows, open or add soffit intake to match, and rebuild the entry roof tie-in with new step and counter-flashing.

Swollen hardboard siding on 1980s and 1990s Wheaton homes

Many Wheaton subdivisions from those decades were clad in hardboard lap siding, a wood-fiber product that looks fine when painted but swells, softens and grows mushroom-like edges where water reaches the bottom of the boards. You will see it first at the drip line under short eaves, behind downspouts, and along the bottom courses near the ground.

Spot replacement buys a few years. When the damage is widespread, a full re-side with fiber cement or engineered wood, installed with a weather barrier and proper flashing at the windows, solves it. We often schedule siding and roofing together so the new trim, gutters and kick-out flashing work as one system.

Roof and exterior problems we see in Wheaton

• Cracked linings in built-in box gutters on older homes
• Slow-draining, under-ventilated low-pitch roofs on bi-levels
• Rusted flashing where entry roofs meet the main wall
• Swollen and softened hardboard siding on 1980s–90s homes
• Plank decking and multiple old layers under prewar roofs

Areas we work in

Downtown Wheaton · Older blocks north of downtown near Wheaton College · Homes along the Illinois Prairie Path · Danada area · Neighborhoods near Cantigny Park · Roosevelt Road corridor · Butterfield Road corridor

Wheaton roofing questions

Who issues the roofing permit for an unincorporated Wheaton address?

It depends on your parcel: any permit comes from either the City of Wheaton or DuPage County. We confirm which one before scheduling. Our Wheaton roof replacement page walks through the rest of the planning.

Can built-in box gutters be repaired instead of removed?

Yes, in most cases. The wooden trough is repaired where needed and relined, which keeps the original cornice profile. Removal is an option when the trough is badly rotted or you prefer a simpler system.

How can I tell if my house has hardboard siding?

Look at the bottom edge of a board near the ground or under a downspout. Hardboard that has absorbed water swells and flakes, and the exposed edge looks like pressed fiber instead of wood grain or cement. We can confirm it during an exterior inspection.