Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are very important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to prevent your home from damages.
And it’s a lot easier than you probably think.
Spotting a gutter leak early can protect an entire house. In this blog post, we’ve provided a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to determine if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are a number of signs that suggest a leaking gutter, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the lawn to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the house, it stresses the connectors. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, low quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roof may not be causing a leak yet, but these things will certainly lead to problems. Getting these defects fixed is a lot more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your home, just to be sure.
Pooling water by your house can be bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the more noticeable signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your rain gutter is likely 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 – Seeing nails and screws working their way out of the gutters likely means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits becomes a new area where water can escape 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 water can leak from the edge of the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this 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. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other materials stick to the moist surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters can be fixed, but if gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, rotting 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 somewhere 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 probably not a leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Taylor gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start to see some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs indicate there are problems with your gutter that need to be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Taylor can be of great help. They can determine whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners 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 a 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 True Clean Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the problem. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can trust us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!