Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are important because – while they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help prevent your home from major damages.
And it’s much simpler than you might think.
Identifying a leaking gutter early can protect the entire house. Here, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are several warning signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t see 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 look for:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, low quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roof may not cause a leak yet, but will certainly lead to problems. Getting these defects repaired is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain is pooling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your house, just to be sure.
Pooling water near your home can be damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your rain gutter is likely 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 occur 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 is going to start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits in starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as simple as refastening them, but it might also be important to seal the hole so no more water can escape from around the screw or 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 evidence behind, especially if it is constantly or frequently there. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other debris adhere to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters can be fixed, but if gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or moldy window sills, you may have leaking gutters.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with aging building materials, so all of these factors need to be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that needs to be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Attleboro gutter cleaning service – or 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 rain gutters or downspout, which will 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 puddling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs mean there are issues with your gutter that must be addressed right away. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Attleboro can be helpful. They can determine if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to complete the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Attleboro Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We provide free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time to install new gutters, you can trust us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!