Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your house from damages.
And it’s really a lot simpler than you might think.
Spotting a gutter leak early can protect the entire house. Below, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are a number of signs that point to a leaking gutter, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the safety of your lawn to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
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 section of them pulling away from the roofing might not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will ultimately lead to issues. Having these defects repaired is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain is pooling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water by your house can be especially harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause your windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most obvious signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several drips.
A drip from your rain gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These tiny leaks can occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters likely means a leak will begin 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 necessary to cover the hole so no more water can leak from around the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially if it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains will 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 you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters can be fixed, but if the gutters are rusty, they definitely need 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 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 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 need to 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 leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty simple fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Lawrence gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your gutters or downspout, which will cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, 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 easily take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs indicate there are problems with your gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a gutter service in Lawrence can be of great help. They can determine if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do basic gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are willing to take on the project a couple of times a year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like Lawrence Gutter Cleaning. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly 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 to install new gutters, you can count on us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!