Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are very important because – although they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to prevent your house from major damages.
And it’s really a lot simpler than you probably think.
Identifying a leaking gutter early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to see if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are many warning signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t physically notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the ground to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here are some things to look for:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, poor quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the home may not cause a leak just yet, but will definitely lead to problems. Having these defects fixed is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain is puddling around your house, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your house, just to be sure.
Pooling water around your house can be really damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These small leaks will happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as tightening them, but it may also be necessary 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 buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves evidence behind, especially when it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the moist surface better than it would a drier one.
Rust is the result of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if the gutters are rusty, they definitely have to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you could have leaking gutters.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also are related to older building materials, so all of these factors should be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Woodbury gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or in your downspout, which will also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start seeing some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs indicate there are issues with your rain gutter that have to be addressed right away. By quickly checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Woodbury can be helpful. They can determine if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do basic gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are ready to complete the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter service with good customer reviews like Pristine Clean Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are gutter 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 right. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!