Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are important because – although they are simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to protect your house from major damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you probably think.
Spotting a leaking gutter early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve provided a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are many warning signs that point to a leaking gutter, even if you don’t physically notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your lawn to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, poor quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roof might not cause a leak yet, but will certainly cause problems. Having these defects repaired is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If water is pooling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your house, just to be careful.
Pooling water by your home can be especially bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause your windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several drips.
A drip coming from your rain gutter could indicate 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. These small leaks can happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
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 hole where the nail or screw fits becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as refastening them, but it can also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can escape from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is consistently or frequently present. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other debris adhere to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned and the gutters can be fixed, but if the gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a 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 around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or moldy window sills, you may have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with aging building materials, so all of these factors should be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to major 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 likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Greece gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or another pest can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which will cause overflow. Once the nest has been there a while, you will start seeing some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy 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 quickly 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 Greece can be of great help. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do basic gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to complete the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond basic gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Greece Gutters & More!. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any gutter 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 right. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!