Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are very important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help prevent your home from major damages.
And it’s a lot easier than you probably think.
Finding a leaking gutter early can protect your entire home. Below, we’ve listed a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roofer) to see if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are several signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the safety of your ground to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the roof, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roofing might not cause a leak yet, but these things will certainly cause problems. Having these defects fixed is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If water is puddling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your home, just to be sure.
Pooling water near your home can be harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the more noticeable signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter indicates a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is a hidden leak. These minor leaks will happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws working their way out of the gutters likely means a leak will begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits becomes a new area where water can get out if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as simple as tightening them, but it can also be important to cover the hole so no more water can escape from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves evidence behind, especially if it is constantly or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris adhere to the moist surface better than it would a drier one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters repaired, but if gutters are rusty, they definitely have to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all factors need to be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Portage gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which can cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start to see some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs mean there are problems with your rain gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a gutter service in Portage can be of great help. They can determine whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do basic gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are willing to take on the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Pristine Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we think that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can count on us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!