Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are very important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to prevent your house from major damages.
And it’s much easier than you might think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect your entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can look for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are many signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. 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 ultimately cause issues. Getting these defects repaired is much more 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 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 harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most obvious signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several drips.
A drip from your rain gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These tiny leaks can occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters likely means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as simple as refastening them, but it could also be necessary to cover the hole so no more water can leak 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 – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other materials stick to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned and the gutters can be repaired, but if gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t 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 around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all indications 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 should be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Cranston gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your rain gutters or in your downspout, which can 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 easily take root in your rain gutter with little debris present. While it may be small 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 problems with your rain gutter that must be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a gutter service in Cranston can be helpful. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do basic gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are willing to take on the project a couple of times a year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like BRAND. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately 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 to install new gutters, you can trust us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!