Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, like the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to protect your home from damages.
And it’s much simpler than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect your entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to see if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are several warning signs that point to a leaking gutter, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here’s what to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roofing may not be causing a leak yet, but will definitely cause issues. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the possible damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If water is pooling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your home, just to be sure.
Pooling water near your home can be really damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These small leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws working 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 becomes a new area where water can get out if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as refastening them, but it could 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 put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is consistently or frequently present. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other materials adhere to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if the gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or 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 starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also are related to older building materials, so all of these factors need to be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this or hire a Lacey gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which will 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 puddling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs mean there are issues with your rain gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a gutter service in Lacey can be helpful. They can determine whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are ready to take on the chore 1-2 times a year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like Lacey Gutters Inc.. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are 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 can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!