Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are very important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from damages.
And it’s really much simpler than you probably think.
Finding a gutter leak early can protect an entire house. In this blog post, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are many signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here are some things to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the house, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house might not be causing a leak yet, but these things will certainly lead to problems. Getting these defects repaired is more affordable than installing new gutters or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If rain is puddling around your house, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water near your house can be damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several drips.
A drip from your rain gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These tiny leaks can occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters likely means a leak is going to 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 starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as refastening them, but it might also be necessary to seal the hole so no more water can escape from the edge of the screw or the 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 evidence behind, especially when it is constantly or frequently present. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other organic materials stick to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters repaired, but if the gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or be 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 patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also are related to older building materials, so all factors should be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Germantown gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can 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 pooling – 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 little now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs mean there are issues with your gutter that have to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Germantown can be helpful. They can determine whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do basic gutter care, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and dangerous, they are ready to complete the chore 1-2 times each year to save some money.
However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter service with good customer reviews like Germantown Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the problem. 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 right. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!