Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are important because – despite being 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.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roof specialist) to see if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are many warning signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the house, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the house may not be causing a leak yet, but will definitely lead to issues. Having these defects repaired is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If water is pooling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your house, just to be careful.
Pooling water near your house can be very damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most obvious signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your rain gutter indicates 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 tiny leaks will happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters likely means a leak is going to begin 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 answer is as easy as refastening them, but it might also be important to cover the hole so no water can leak from the edge of the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
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 materials stick to the wet surface better than it would a drier one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after water stains. 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 been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts 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 of these factors should be taken into account 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 one is a pretty easy fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Salem gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your rain gutters or in your downspout, which will 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 pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs mean there are problems with your rain gutter that have to be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Salem can be helpful. They can determine whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do basic gutter care, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to take on the chore 1-2 times each year to save some money.
However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with good customer reviews like Salem Gutter Service. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly determine the issue. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are any 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!