Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are very important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your house from major damages.
And it’s much easier than you might think.
Spotting a gutter leak early can protect your entire house. In this blog post, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are a number of warning signs that point to leaking gutters, 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’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the roof, it stresses the connectors. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, poor 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 cause a leak yet, but these things will certainly create issues. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your house, 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 close to your house, just to be careful.
Pooling water around your home can be very 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 a gutter leak is a drip, or several drips.
A drip from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak. These small leaks can happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters means a leak is going to 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 escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as tightening them, but it might also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can leak from the edge of the screw or the 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 – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is consistently or frequently there. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other organic materials stick to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters can be repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, rotting 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 somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all factors need to be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a 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 has to be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Middletown gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which will also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start to see 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 take root in your gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be little now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are problems with your rain gutter that have to 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 Middletown can be of great help. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do basic gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time-consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are ready to complete the chore 1-2 times a year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to professionals.
Start by finding a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Swift Gutters Inc.. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are any repairs to be made, or if we think that it’s time to install new gutters, you can count on us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!