Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help prevent your home from damages.
And it’s really much simpler than you might think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire house. Here, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are a number of signs that suggest a leaking gutter, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your ground to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, low quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roof might not be causing a leak yet, but these things will ultimately create problems. Getting these defects fixed is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain 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 near your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water by your home can be really bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter indicates a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak. These small leaks will occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters means a leak will begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The area 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 simple as refastening them, but it might also be important 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 evidence behind, especially when it is constantly or frequently present. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the moist surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after water stains. water stains can be cleaned and the gutters can be repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you could 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 of these factors should be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that needs to be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Noblesville gutter cleaning service – 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 can cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start to see some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain gutter with little debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs indicate there are issues with your gutter that must be addressed right away. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Noblesville can be of great help. They can determine if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do basic gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are eager to complete the project a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like Noblesville Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately determine the issue. 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 trust us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!