Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are important because – although they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help prevent your home from major damages.
And it’s really much easier than you might think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect the entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to see if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are several signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the house may not be causing a leak just yet, but will definitely lead to issues. Having these defects fixed is more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If water is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your house, just to be sure.
Pooling water near your home can be especially harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can 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 coming from your rain gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is a hidden leak. These minor leaks can happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws working their way out of the gutters means a leak will begin 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 easy as refastening them, but it might 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 sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially if it is consistently or frequently there. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other organic materials adhere to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters fixed, but if gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on your roof, but you’re beginning to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you may have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to aging building materials, so all 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 gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Suffolk gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or in your downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, 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 the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs indicate there are issues with your rain gutter that have to be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Suffolk 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, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are willing to complete the project a couple of times each year to save some money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with good customer reviews like Suffolk Gutter Service. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately determine the problem. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time to install new gutters, you can trust us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!