Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your home from damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you probably think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect the entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roofer) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are several warning signs that indicate a leaking gutter, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it stresses the connectors. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, low quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the house may not be causing a leak yet, but these things will definitely result in problems. Having these defects fixed is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If water is puddling around your house, it’s a possible 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 in case.
Pooling water by your house can be very harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your rain gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is a hidden leak. These small leaks will happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws working 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 starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as refastening them, but it might also be necessary to seal the hole so no more water can leak from the edge of the screw or 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 – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially if it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other organic debris adhere to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters can be fixed, but if gutters are rusty, they definitely have to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you could have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also are related to older building materials, so all factors need to be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Wilmington gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which will also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start seeing some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be small now, a sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs indicate there are problems with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a gutter service in Wilmington can be of great help. They can determine if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are willing to take on the chore 1-2 times a year to save some money.
However, anything beyond basic gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Wilmington Gutter Solutions. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the issue. We offer 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 can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!