Gutter cleaning, repair and new gutters in Decatur, IL

When to clean gutters in Decatur

The first fall frost comes around October 24 in a typical year here, and the last spring frost around April 14 (median dates, NOAA normals). Plan the fall visit for after the frost, when the trees over the roof have finished dropping, and the spring visit for after the pollen and catkins.

When to clean gutters explains how the trees over a roof change the schedule.

Gutter and downspout size for Decatur rain

What overwhelms a gutter is a burst, not a season. In Decatur the five-minute rain expected about once in ten years falls at 7.75 inches an hour (NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 2). At that rate one 2-by-3-inch downspout drains about 930 square feet of roof and one 3-by-4-inch downspout about 1,860, by the rule in the Copper Development Association’s design handbook. Try your own roof in the gutter and downspout calculator, which starts from this figure.

The houses in Decatur

Half the homes in Decatur were built by 1960, 80% before 1980 (ACS 2020–2024). In a neighborhood that age, many houses are on their second set of gutters or due for one, and the fascia board behind them is worth checking at the same visit. On a house built before 1978, replacing more than 20 square feet of painted fascia or trim falls under the EPA’s lead-safe rule, so ask whether the crew is certified.

62% of households own their home, and 73% of homes are detached houses, 2% townhouses. In a townhouse or HOA community, check who owns the gutters and what colors are allowed before booking.

Hiring in Illinois

Ask any contractor working in Decatur what Illinois requires of them for gutter work, and to show proof of insurance. Hiring a gutter contractor