What sets Fairgrove Avenue houses apart
The Fairgrove Avenue Historic District runs one block, between North Saginaw Street and Edison Street. The land was a county fairground from 1850 until the Oakland County Agricultural Society platted it for housing in 1895. Most of the 28 houses were built between 1895 and 1920, the majority before 1910, in styles from Queen Anne to Colonial Revival.
They're all about 2.5 stories, uniform in scale and setback, on relatively small lots, and nearly all have a large front porch. The street is lined with shade trees. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
For gutter work, 4 things follow from that description.
Front porches change the water path
A full-width front porch has its own low-slope roof below the main eave. On many houses of this age, a downspout from the upper roof simply ends on the porch roof. In a storm the porch roof then carries its own rain plus part of the main roof's, and it all comes off above the front steps.
Porch columns, railings and floor framing are wood, and constant wetting rots them. A porch gutter with its own downspout, and upper downspouts piped past the porch, solves this.
2.5 stories means high eaves and attic dormers
The main gutters are well above safe reach, and the half story usually means gables or dormers that add valleys and short runs. Clogs and loose hangers up there go unseen until water shows on the wall.
Small lots, close neighbors
With houses near each other, there's little side yard to absorb roof water. Downspout discharge has to be planned so it goes to the front or back of the lot. See downspouts and drainage.
Mature shade trees
Street trees over a tall house fill gutters in spring and again in fall. Regular gutter cleaning is the baseline, and gutter guards are worth considering for the high runs that are hard to reach.
Gutter and trim problems common on homes of this age
- Soft fascia and crown molding behind old gutters. Wood more than a century old has usually been wet many times. We check it before hanging anything and handle fascia and soffit repair as part of the job.
- Spike-hung gutters pulling away after winters of ice. Covered under gutter repair.
- Stone or brick foundations taking water from downspouts that end at the wall.
- Houses converted to apartments. A few homes on the block were divided into flats or built as duplexes. Shared gutters need one person to take responsibility for them, or they get neglected.
Historic district review on Fairgrove Avenue
Fairgrove is one of Pontiac's local historic districts. The city's Historic District Commission reviews exterior work and issues a Certificate of Appropriateness before a building permit can be applied for. On a block this uniform, a gutter that looks out of place stands out, so the commission will care about profile, color and downspout placement on the front of the house.
Check with the city's planning office first. We can help you pick from the options on our seamless gutter installation page, including half-round, and give you the details for an application.
How service works on Fairgrove Avenue
Call and tell us what you're seeing and whether the house is a single-family home or divided. We look at the main roof, the porch roof, the wood trim and where each downspout lets out, then give you a price before starting. For a hanging gutter or water coming inside, call any hour for emergency gutter repair.
Fairgrove is part of the north side of the city that our gutter contractor service in Pontiac covers. We also work in the GM Modern Housing district nearby, and on the larger Victorian houses of Franklin Boulevard.
Fairgrove Avenue gutter questions
Why does water pour off my front porch roof?
Most likely the porch has no gutter, the gutter is clogged, or a downspout from the main roof empties onto the porch roof and overwhelms it. The fix is a properly sized porch gutter with its own downspout, and piping the upper downspout past the porch roof to the ground.
Is Fairgrove Avenue a historic district?
Yes. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of Pontiac's local historic districts.
The city's Historic District Commission reviews exterior work in local districts and issues a Certificate of Appropriateness before a building permit can be applied for. Check with the city's planning office before changing gutter style, material or color.
How often should gutters be cleaned on a tree-lined street?
At least twice a year: late spring after seeds drop, and late fall after the leaves are down. Under large shade trees a third cleaning is common. At 2.5 stories, the upper gutters should be cleaned by someone equipped for the height.
Can my downspouts drain into the side yard?
On small lots with houses close together, side-yard discharge puts water against 2 foundations. It's better to turn the downspout toward the front or rear yard or run it underground to a spot where water can soak in on your own lot.