Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are important because – while they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to prevent your house from damages.
And it’s a lot easier than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect your entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roofer) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are a number of signs that indicate leaking gutters, even if you don’t notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your lawn to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here’s what to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor 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 roofing might not be causing a leak yet, but will certainly create problems. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain 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 near your house, just to be sure.
Pooling water near your house can be especially harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your rain gutter indicates a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These tiny leaks can happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters likely means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as refastening them, but it can also be important to cover the hole so no more water can leak from around the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can buy this type of 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 there. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if the gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re beginning to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also are related to aging building materials, so all of these factors should be considered 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 one is typically an easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Greenwood gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your gutters or downspout, which can cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start to see some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be little 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 easy-to-see signs indicate there are problems with your gutter that need to be addressed right away. 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 Greenwood can be helpful. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are ready to take on the project a couple of times a year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond basic gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Greenwood Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are gutter repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can count on us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!