Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect 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 house. Here, we’ve listed a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roofer) to see if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are many signs that indicate a leaking gutter, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the ground to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roofing might not cause a leak yet, but will definitely result in issues. Getting these defects repaired is more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your house, just to be careful.
Pooling water near your house can be really harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most obvious signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These minor leaks can occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws working their way out of the gutters likely means a leak is going to 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 solution is as simple as tightening them, but it may also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can escape from around the screw or 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 if it is constantly or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris adhere to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters can be fixed, 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 limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
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 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 may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is typically an easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this or hire a Warner Robins 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 can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start seeing 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 easily take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs mean there are issues with your gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Warner Robins can be helpful. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is required 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.
Homeowners can choose to do basic gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are ready to complete the chore 1-2 times a year to save some money.
However, anything beyond basic gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like Warner Robins Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly determine the problem. We provide free inspections for potential customers.
If there are gutter repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time for gutter replacement, 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!