Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – while they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home components, like the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help prevent your house from damages.
And it’s really much simpler than you probably think.
Spotting a gutter leak early can protect your entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can look for (without calling a roofer) to see if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are several signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, low quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house might not be causing a leak yet, but these things will ultimately lead to issues. Getting these defects fixed is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If water is pooling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your house, just in case.
Pooling water around your house can be very damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible 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 of the gutter and it isn’t a big overflow, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These minor leaks can occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters means a leak is going to start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area 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 refastening them, but it may also be important to seal the hole so no water can leak 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 – Water leaves behind evidence, especially if it is constantly or frequently there. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other organic materials stick to the wet surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters fixed, but if your gutters are rusty, they 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 your roof, but you’re beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. 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 might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is typically an easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Longview 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 gutters or downspout, which can cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start seeing some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily 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 damage aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs indicate there are issues with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Longview can be of great help. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are willing to complete the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Longview Gutters & Exteriors. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly determine the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time for gutter replacement, 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!