Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain 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 gutters is an easy way to prevent your house from damages.
And it’s really a lot easier than you probably think.
Identifying a gutter leak early can protect your entire home. In this blog post, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are several signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t physically see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here are some things to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the house, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the house may not be causing a leak just yet, but will definitely cause problems. Having these defects fixed is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If water is puddling 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 close to your home, just in case.
Pooling water near your house can be very harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause your windows to leak.
Drips – One of the more noticeable signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These tiny leaks can happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters likely means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the answer is as simple as tightening them, but it could also be necessary to seal 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 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 appear because dirt and other materials stick to the moist surface better than it would a drier one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if gutters are rusty, they definitely have 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 top of your roof, but you’re beginning to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also are related to aging building materials, so all 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 issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue 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 Lawrence gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly build a nest in your rain 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 leaks – like rust or puddling – 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 small now, a sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs mean there are issues with your rain gutter that have to be addressed immediately. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Lawrence can be of great help. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do basic gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are eager to complete the project 1-2 times a year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Lawrence Gutter Service. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the problem. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are gutter repairs to be made, or if we feel 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!