Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and relatively 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 house from major damages.
And it’s really much easier than you probably think.
Spotting a leaking gutter early can protect an entire home. In this blog post, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roofer) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are several signs that suggest a leaking gutter, even if you don’t physically notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your ground to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the home might not be causing a leak just yet, but will certainly lead to problems. Getting these defects fixed is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the potential damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your home, just to be sure.
Pooling water by your home can be especially harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most obvious 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 of the gutter and it isn’t a big overflow, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These tiny leaks will happen if a fastener has become 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 is going to start soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as tightening them, but it may also be necessary to seal the hole so no more water can escape from the edge of the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can buy this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially if it is constantly or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other materials adhere to the wet surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or 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 beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you could have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all factors should be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a gutter leak may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this or hire a Lakewood gutter cleaning service – 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 will also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start to see some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or pooling – 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 sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are issues with your rain gutter that have to be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Lakewood can be of great help. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do simple gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are willing to complete the chore a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Lakewood Gutter Cleaning. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the problem. We offer 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 can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!