Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are so important because – although they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from major damages.
And it’s much easier than you probably think.
Spotting a leak in your gutters early can protect your entire house. In this blog post, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roofer) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are a number of warning signs that point to a leaking gutter, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the safety of your lawn to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the roof, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor 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 house may not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will ultimately lead to issues. Getting these defects repaired is more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain is puddling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your home, just in case.
Pooling water near your home can be really bad 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 leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your rain gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These small leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain 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 works its way out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as tightening them, but it could also be important to cover the hole so no water can leak from around the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially when it is constantly or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the moist surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a 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 or walkways, decaying 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 a place it shouldn’t. They also are related to aging building materials, so all of these factors need to be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty simple fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Stockton gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start to see some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs indicate there are issues with your rain gutter that must be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Stockton 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, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to complete the project a couple of times each year to save some money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Stockton Gutter Specialists. Then let us do an inspection to correctly determine the problem. We provide free inspections for potential customers.
If there are 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. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!