Start with conditions, not a product
Given cold winters with real ice-dam risk and mature tree-lined subdivisions, the roof's area, valleys, tree debris, fascia condition, and downspout discharge point outweigh gutter color every time.
Build a complete scope
- Roof area and valley layout, and the sizing that follows
- Downspout count and placement rather than replacing what is there
- Where discharge is permitted to go given on-site stormwater requirements
- Ice and snow loading on the runs and hangers over a long winter
- How debris is dealt with, whether runs are reachable, and the cover given
Naperville context
Naperville's clay-heavy soils drain slowly, so where roof runoff actually goes matters more here than in areas with sandier ground. The City of Naperville's stormwater plan depends on storm sewers, detention basins, and overflow routes precisely because the ground can't absorb heavy rain quickly, and DuPage County's countywide floodplain ordinance reflects the same concern at a larger scale. The intense rain that has accompanied recent severe weather -- including the August 2020 derecho and a July 2024 storm line that produced a 75 mph gust at O'Hare -- shows how much volume a gutter and downspout system may need to move in a short window.