Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home components, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help protect your home from damages.
And it’s really much easier than you might think.
Identifying a leaking gutter early can protect the entire house. Below, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roof specialist) to see if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are a number of warning signs that point to a leaking gutter, 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 keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it causes stress on the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the house might not be causing a leak just yet, but will certainly cause problems. Having these defects fixed is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the possible damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If water is pooling around your house, it’s a 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 home, just in case.
Pooling water around your home can be very bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause your windows to leak.
Drips – One of the more noticeable signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These minor leaks can happen if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws working their way out of the gutters likely means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits in becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as tightening them, but it might also be important to seal the hole so no more water can escape 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 apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is constantly or frequently there. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if your 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 limb fall on your roof, but you’re beginning to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you might have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also go hand in hand with older 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 major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Hampton gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there a while, you will start to see some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with little debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs indicate there are issues with your rain gutter that must be addressed right away. By quickly checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Hampton can be of great help. They can determine whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are eager to complete the chore 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like BRAND. Then let us do an inspection to correctly determine the issue. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are any 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. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!