Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to prevent your house from damages.
And it’s much easier than you probably think.
Identifying a leaking gutter early can protect your entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are many warning signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t physically notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here’s what to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roofing might not be causing a leak yet, but these things will certainly lead to issues. Getting these defects repaired is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the possible damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If water is pooling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your house, just to be careful.
Pooling water around your home can be really damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several drips.
A drip coming from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These minor leaks can occur 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 in becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as tightening them, but it can also be necessary to cover the hole so no more water can leak from around the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially if it is constantly or frequently present. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other 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 can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re beginning to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also are related to aging building materials, so all factors need to be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Lafayette gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your rain gutters or in your downspout, which can cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start seeing some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be little now, a 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 issues with your rain gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a gutter service in Lafayette can be helpful. They can determine whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are willing to take on the chore 1-2 times a year to save some money.
However, any job beyond basic gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Lafayette Gutters Unlimited. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are 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. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!