Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your home from major damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire house. Here, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roof specialist) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are a number of signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roofing may not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will certainly create problems. Getting these defects fixed is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If rain is puddling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your house, just to be careful.
Pooling water near your home can be really harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most obvious signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several drips.
A drip from your gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These tiny leaks can happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits becomes a new area where water can get out if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as refastening them, but it might also be necessary to seal the hole so no more water can escape from around the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves evidence behind, especially when it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris adhere to the moist surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after you see water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters can be 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 tree limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with aging building materials, so all factors should be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that has to be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Everett gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your gutters or downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there a 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 rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be little now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs indicate there are problems with your gutter that have to be addressed immediately. By quickly 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 Everett can be of great help. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do basic gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and dangerous, they are willing to take on the project 1-2 times a year to save some money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like EZ Everett Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly determine the problem. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are 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!