Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are very important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, like the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help prevent your house from damages.
And it’s really a lot easier than you might think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve provided a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to determine if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are many signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the safety of your lawn to determine 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 causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be the result of 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 home might not cause a leak yet, but these things will definitely lead to problems. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If rain is pooling around your house, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your home, just in case.
Pooling water around your home can be harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the more noticeable signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your gutter is likely 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 somewhere. These tiny leaks will happen if a fastener has become 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 hole where the nail or screw fits in starts to become a new area where water can get out if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as tightening them, but it can also be important to seal the hole so no water can escape from around the screw or the 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 evidence behind, especially when it is constantly or frequently present. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the wet 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 fixed, but if the gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also are related to older building materials, so all of these factors should be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Fairfield gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which can cause overflow. Once the nest has been there a 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 little debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs mean there are problems with your gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Fairfield can be of great help. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic 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 sometimes dangerous, they are willing to complete the chore a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning is best left to professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Fairfield Gutter Specialists. Then let us do an inspection to correctly determine the problem. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are any 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 right. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!