Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from major damages.
And it’s really a lot simpler than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect the entire house. Here, 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 a lot of signs that indicate a leaking gutter, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, poor quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the home might not cause a leak just yet, but these things will ultimately result in issues. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your house, just in case.
Pooling water by your home can be especially bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most obvious signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These tiny leaks will happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters means a leak will begin 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 easy as refastening them, but it can also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can leak from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially when it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the wet surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters fixed, but if the gutters are rusty, they will definitely need 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 notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
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 need to 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 might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Rochester Hills gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your rain gutters or in your downspout, which will 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 the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain 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 know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs mean there are issues with your gutter that must be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Rochester Hills can be helpful. They can determine if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are willing to take on the project a couple of times each year to save some money.
However, any job beyond basic gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Rochester Hills Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to correctly determine the problem. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are 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 can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!