Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – while they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home components, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to protect your home from damages.
And it’s much simpler than you might think.
Finding a leaking gutter early can protect an entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roof specialist) to see if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are a number of signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your ground to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the home, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house may not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will definitely cause issues. Getting these defects repaired is more affordable than installing new gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – 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 close to your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water by your house can be very bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could 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 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 small leaks can occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws working their way out of the gutters likely means a leak will begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The area 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 refastening them, but it may also be important to cover the hole so no water can escape from the edge of the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves evidence behind, especially when it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other debris adhere to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after you see water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if the gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a severe 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 around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your porch or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also go hand in hand with 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 leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is typically an easy fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Wyoming gutter cleaning company – or 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 also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, 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 it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a tree 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 problems with your rain gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By 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 Wyoming can be helpful. They can determine if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are ready to complete the chore 1-2 times a year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like Prime Gutters Inc.. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly determine the problem. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any gutter repairs to be made, or if we think 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!