Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – although they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you might think.
Spotting a leaking gutter early can protect the entire house. Here, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roof specialist) to see if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are many signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your ground to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here are some things to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the home, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, poor quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house might not cause a leak yet, but will ultimately cause issues. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water around your home can be really damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause your windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter indicates a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t overflowing, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These tiny leaks can happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws working their way out of the gutters means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as tightening them, but it might also be important to seal the hole so no water can escape from the edge of the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially if it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other materials stick to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if the 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 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 moldy window sills, you might have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to aging building materials, so all factors need to be considered 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 issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is typically an easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that has to be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Plainfield gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or another pest can quickly build a nest in your gutters or 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 it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be small now, a sapling will sprout 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 problems with your rain gutter that must be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Plainfield can be helpful. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners 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, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with good customer reviews like Premiere Plainfield Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the problem. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any gutter repairs to be made, or if we believe 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!