Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help prevent your house from major damages.
And it’s really much simpler than you might think.
Identifying a gutter leak early can protect your entire house. Below, we’ve listed a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to determine if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are several signs that point to leaking gutters, even if you don’t notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here are some things to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roof may not be causing a leak yet, but will definitely create issues. Having these defects repaired is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your house, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water around your home can be very damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most obvious signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several drips.
A drip coming from your 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 minor leaks will happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws working 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 becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as refastening them, but it might also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can escape from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is tightened again. You can buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially when it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other debris stick to the moist surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have leaking gutters.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all factors should be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is typically an easy fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Fayetteville gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your gutters or downspout, which can 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 the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your 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 easy-to-see signs indicate there are problems with your gutter that have to be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a gutter service in Fayetteville can be helpful. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are ready to take on the chore a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like First-Rate Fayetteville Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are any repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can count on us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!