Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help protect your home from major damages.
And it’s really much easier than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire house. Here, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are several signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t 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 look for:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house may not be causing a leak yet, but these things will definitely cause problems. Getting these defects repaired is much more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your house, just in case.
Pooling water by your house can be bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several of them.
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 a hidden leak somewhere. These minor leaks will occur 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 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 simple as tightening them, but it could also be important to cover the hole so no water can leak from the edge of the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can buy this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially when it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other organic materials stick to the moist surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently 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, rotting wood on your patio 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 are related to aging building materials, so all factors need to be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Cary gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly 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 a leak in a gutter – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your gutter with little debris present. While it may be small now, a sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs mean there are issues with your rain gutter that have to be addressed right away. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Cary can be of great help. They can determine whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to complete the chore a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Cary Gutter Service. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately determine the issue. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are gutter repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can count on us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!