Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your house from major damages.
And it’s really a lot simpler than you probably think.
Identifying a gutter leak early can protect the entire house. Here, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roofer) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are several warning signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it stresses the connectors. 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 part of them pulling away from the house may not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will certainly result in issues. Having these defects fixed is much more affordable than installing new gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If rain is pooling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your house, just in case.
Pooling water by your home can be damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your gutter indicates 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 will occur 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 means a leak is going to 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 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 nail, even after it is back in place. 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 when it is constantly or frequently present. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other materials adhere to the moist surface better than it would a drier one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on your roof, but you’re beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with 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 common gutter issues, a gutter leak may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Roseville gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your 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 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 even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are issues with your rain gutter that must be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Roseville can be of great help. They can determine whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do basic gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are willing to take on the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Ready Clean Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the problem. We provide free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any gutter repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can trust us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!