Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are really important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your home from damages.
And it’s really much easier than you probably think.
Finding a gutter leak early can protect the entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are several signs that point to leaking gutters, even if you don’t notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roofing might not cause a leak yet, but will ultimately cause problems. Getting these defects fixed is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If water is pooling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your house, just to be careful.
Pooling water around your home can be really bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible 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 overflowing, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These minor leaks can happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws working their way out of the gutters means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits starts to become a new area where water can get out if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as tightening them, but it might also be important to cover the hole so no more water can escape from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this type of 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 present. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other debris adhere to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters can be fixed, but if the gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you could have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also are related to older building materials, so all factors should 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 gutter leak may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this or hire a Lawrence gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which will cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start seeing 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 easily take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs mean there are issues with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Lawrence can be helpful. They can determine whether gutter replacement is required 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.
Some homeowners decide to do simple gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are eager to complete the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like A+ Lawrence Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to correctly determine the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are any repairs to be made, or if we think 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!