Repair & Maintenance · FAQ

What roof prep matters for an Illinois winter?

Three things make a measurable difference: clean gutters, trimmed branches, and a quick verification of attic ventilation. Clogged gutters in winter create ice dams; overhanging branches drop ice loads on the roof during freeze events; and a hot attic from poor ventilation melts snow on the roof, which refreezes at the eaves into ice dams.

Trill offers a fall service visit in October and November that handles all three: full gutter cleaning, trimming of branches within 10 feet of the roof line, and an attic ventilation check. The cost runs $200 to $350 depending on the home size. Homes that get this service annually see ice-dam claims roughly 70% less often than homes that don’t. The math favors the service for any home with significant tree cover or any home where you’ve ever seen ice dams form.