Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help prevent your home from major damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you might think.
Spotting a leaking gutter early can protect your entire house. In this blog post, 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 number of warning signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the safety of your ground to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the house, it causes stress on the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, low quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roof may not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will ultimately lead to issues. Getting these defects repaired is a lot more affordable than gutter replacement 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 probably present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your house, just to be sure.
Pooling water around your house can be very harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause your windows to leak.
Drips – One of the more noticeable signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several drips.
A drip from your gutter indicates a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak. These minor leaks will happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as refastening them, but it could also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can escape from around the screw or nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially when it is constantly or frequently there. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other debris adhere to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the result of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re beginning to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your porch or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with aging building materials, so all factors need to be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that needs to be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Malden gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, 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 gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are problems with your gutter that have to be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Malden can be helpful. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are ready to complete the project a couple of times each year to save some money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with good customer reviews like Malden Gutter Service. Then let us do an inspection to accurately diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are any 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 will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!