Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – while they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from major damages.
And it’s really much easier than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect the entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are a number of signs that indicate leaking gutters, even if you don’t physically see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the home may not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will definitely result in issues. Getting these defects fixed is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If water is pooling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. But 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 home can be bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause your windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several of them.
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 a hidden leak. These minor leaks can happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws working their way out of the rain gutters 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 get out if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as refastening them, but it could also be important to seal the hole so no more 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 put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is constantly or frequently there. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the wet surface better than it would a drier one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned and the gutters repaired, but if the gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a 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 could have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also are related to older building materials, so all of these factors should be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty simple fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that needs to be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Coon Rapids gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or in your downspout, which will 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 the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your gutter with little 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 visible signs mean there are problems with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Coon Rapids can be helpful. They can distinguish whether 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 the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do basic gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are willing to take on the project 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 specialist with excellent customer reviews like Swift Gutter Cleaning. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly determine the problem. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time to install new gutters, you can count on us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!