Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help protect your home from damages.
And it’s much simpler than you might think.
Finding a leaking gutter early can protect your entire house. In this blog post, we’ve provided a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roof specialist) to determine if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are a lot of warning signs that point to leaking gutters, even if you don’t 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:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the home may not cause a leak just yet, but these things will ultimately lead to issues. Having these defects repaired is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your home, just in case.
Pooling water by your house can be really bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most obvious signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your rain gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak. These small leaks can happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters likely means a leak is going to start soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in becomes a new area where water can get out if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as refastening them, but it may also be important to seal the hole so no more water can leak from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially when it is constantly or frequently there. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other materials adhere to the wet surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters can be fixed, but if the gutters are rusty, they definitely have to be repaired or be 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 notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your porch or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also are related to older building materials, so all of these factors need to be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Strongsville gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which will cause overflow. Once the nest has been there a while, you will start seeing 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 small now, a sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs mean there are problems with your gutter that must be addressed right away. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Strongsville can be helpful. They can determine if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life 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, themselves. Although it is time-consuming and dangerous, they are willing to take on the project a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, any job beyond basic gutter cleaning should be left to professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with good customer reviews like BRAND. Then let us do an inspection to accurately diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time to install new gutters, 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!