Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are so important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from damages.
And it’s really a lot easier than you might think.
Identifying a gutter leak early can protect the entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roof specialist) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are a lot of warning signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here are some things to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roofing may not cause a leak just yet, but will ultimately lead to problems. Having these defects repaired is more affordable than installing new gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If rain is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your house, just to be careful.
Pooling water near your home can be especially harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the more noticeable signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several drips.
A drip coming from your gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These tiny leaks can happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling 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 starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as tightening them, but it may also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can escape from around the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially when it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other materials stick to the wet surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you could have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place 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 common gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is usually an easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that has to be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Rockville gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which can also 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 it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with little debris present. While it may be little now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs mean there are problems with your gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Rockville 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.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are willing to complete the project 1-2 times a year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond basic gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with good customer reviews like Rockville Gutter Cleaning. Then let us do an inspection to accurately diagnose the issue. We provide free inspections for potential customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time for gutter replacement, 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!