Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from damages.
And it’s really much simpler than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire home. Below, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are many signs that suggest a gutter leak, 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 leaking gutter are present.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the roof, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the home may not be causing a leak yet, but these things will ultimately result in issues. Having these defects fixed is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If rain is pooling around your home, it’s a 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 by your home can be really damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter could indicate 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 gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws working their way out of the gutters likely means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in becomes a new area where water can get out if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as simple as refastening them, but it can also be important to cover 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 apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially if it is consistently or frequently there. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other materials stick to the moist surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned and the gutters fixed, but if gutters are rusty, they definitely have to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying 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. They also are related to older building materials, so all factors need to be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these 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 yourself or hire a Scranton gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start to see 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 gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be little now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs mean there are issues with your gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a gutter service inScranton can be of great help. They can determine if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your home’s 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 dangerous, they are ready to complete the chore a couple of times each year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like BRAND. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly determine the problem. We provide free inspections for potential customers.
If there are 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 can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!