Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – while they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your house from damages.
And it’s really much simpler than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire home. In this blog post, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to determine if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are a lot of signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t physically notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your ground to decide 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 house, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roof may not cause a leak yet, but will ultimately cause issues. Having these defects fixed is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably 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 harmful 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 rain gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These tiny leaks can occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits becomes a new area where water can get out if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as refastening them, but it can also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can leak from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
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 organic materials stick to the moist surface better than it would a drier one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned away 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 tree limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all signs 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 need to be taken into account 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 problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this or hire a Warwick gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk 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 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 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 know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are issues with your gutter that must 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 professional gutter service in Warwick can be helpful. They can determine whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are willing to complete the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning should be left to professionals.
Start by finding a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Warwick Gutter Cleaning. Then let us do an inspection to accurately diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we think that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can trust us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!