Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help prevent your home from damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you might think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roofer) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are many warning signs that indicate leaking gutters, even if you don’t physically see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your lawn to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here’s what to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the house, it stresses the connectors. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, low quality materials, 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 these things will definitely create problems. Getting these defects fixed is much more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If rain is pooling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your home, just in case.
Pooling water around your house can be really harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause your windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most obvious signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your rain 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 minor leaks can happen 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 means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The area 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 easy as tightening them, but it can also be important to seal the hole so no water can leak from around the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially when it is constantly or frequently there. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other debris stick to the wet surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also are related to aging building materials, so all of these factors should be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to major repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a gutter leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is typically an easy fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that needs to be removed. You can do this or hire a Centreville gutter cleaning company – 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 gutters or downspout, which will also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there a while, you will start seeing some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with little debris present. While it may be small 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 mean there are issues with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By quickly checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Centreville 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 gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are ready to complete the project a couple of times a year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Classic Centreville Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any gutter repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time to install new gutters, you can count on us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!