Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning gutters is an easy way to prevent your home from major damages.
And it’s much simpler than you might think.
Spotting a leak in your gutters early can protect the entire house. Here, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to determine if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are several warning signs that point to leaking gutters, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the house, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the home might not cause a leak yet, but these things will definitely create issues. Having these defects fixed is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the possible 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 pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your home, just in case.
Pooling water around your home can be bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most obvious signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your rain gutter indicates a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak. These minor leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters likely means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as refastening them, but it could also be important to seal the hole so no more water can escape from around the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially if it is constantly or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on your roof, but you’re beginning to notice 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 indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to older building materials, so all factors should be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Elkhart gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your gutters or downspout, which will 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 puddling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs mean there are issues with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Elkhart can be helpful. They can determine whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do basic gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are willing to take on the chore 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 excellent customer reviews like Elkhart Gutter Experts. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the problem. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are gutter 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 right. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!