Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your house from damages.
And it’s much simpler than you probably think.
Spotting a gutter leak early can protect your entire home. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to determine if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are a number of signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connectors. 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 home might not cause a leak just yet, but will certainly create problems. Getting these defects fixed is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – 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 other water source that is close to your home, just to be sure.
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.
Dripping – One of the most obvious signs of a leaking gutter 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 of the gutter and it isn’t overflowing, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These minor leaks will occur 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 is going to start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as tightening them, but it might also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can escape from the edge of the screw or 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 – Water leaves evidence behind, especially when it is constantly or frequently there. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other materials adhere to the wet surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the result of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after water stains. water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters fixed, but if your gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on top of 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 could have leaking gutters.
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 should be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Fishers 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 can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start to see some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs mean there are problems with your gutter that must be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Fishers can be of great help. They can determine if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do basic gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to complete the chore a couple of times a year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter service with good customer reviews like Fishers Gutters & More!. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any 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!