Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – although they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your house from damages.
And it’s really much easier than you probably think.
Spotting a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire house. 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 a Gutter Leak
There are a lot of warning signs that indicate leaking gutters, even if you don’t physically notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, 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 yet, but these things will definitely lead to problems. Having these defects repaired is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If water is puddling around your house, 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 home, just to be careful.
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 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 minor leaks will occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters means a leak will begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits starts to become a new area where water can get out 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 the nail, even after it is back in place. You can buy this 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. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic materials stick to the moist surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters fixed, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need 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 starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you could have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all of these factors should be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to major repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is usually an easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Elyria 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 gutters or 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 leaks – 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 little now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs mean there are problems with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Elyria can be of great help. They can determine whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it can be time-consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are eager to take on the chore a couple of times each year to save some money.
However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Elyria Gutter Experts. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are any gutter repairs to be made, or if we think that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can trust us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!