Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are so important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to prevent your house from damages.
And it’s really much simpler than you probably think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roof specialist) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are a number of warning signs that suggest a gutter leak, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the house, it causes stress on the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roof might not be causing a leak yet, but these things will definitely result in issues. Getting these defects fixed is more affordable than installing new gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If water is pooling around your house, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your home, just to be sure.
Pooling water near your home can be very harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your rain gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These tiny leaks can happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).
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 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 might also be important to seal the hole so no water can escape from the edge of the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially when it is constantly or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic materials stick to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or moldy window sills, you could have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also are related to aging building materials, so all of these factors need to be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Newark gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which will also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start seeing some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs mean there are problems with your rain gutter that have to be addressed right away. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Newark 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 gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do basic gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are eager to complete the project a couple of times each year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Newark Gutter Solutions. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the problem. We provide free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time to install new gutters, you can trust us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!