Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are so 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 home from damages.
And it’s really a lot easier than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect your entire home. Below, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to see if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are many signs that point to leaking gutters, even if you don’t notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the home, it stresses the connectors. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house might not cause a leak yet, but will definitely create issues. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the potential damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water near your house can be bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most obvious signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several drips.
A drip from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t overflowing, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These small leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws working their way out of the rain gutters likely 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 escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as refastening them, but it could also be necessary to seal the hole so no more water can leak from the edge of the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can buy this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic materials adhere to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters fixed, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or be 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 see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or moldy 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 are related to aging building materials, so all of these factors need to be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This one 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 Plymouth gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which will cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start to see some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of 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 visible signs mean there are problems with your gutter that need to be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Plymouth can be of great help. They can distinguish 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 all that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are willing to take on the chore 1-2 times each year to save some money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like Premiere Gutters of Plymouth. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately determine the issue. We provide free inspections for potential customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can trust us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!