Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to prevent your house from damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you probably think.
Spotting a gutter leak early can protect your entire home. Below, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roofer) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are several signs that suggest a gutter leak, even if you don’t physically see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the safety of your ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here are some things to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, low quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the home might not cause a leak yet, but these things will ultimately lead to issues. Having these defects repaired is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If rain is pooling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your house, just in case.
Pooling water around your house can be bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most obvious signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several drips.
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 a hidden leak somewhere. These minor leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters likely means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in starts to become a new area where water can get out if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as tightening them, but it may also be necessary to cover the hole so no more water can escape from around the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves evidence behind, especially when it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other debris adhere 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 see after water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if the gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or 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 notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to older 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 problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Farmington Hills gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly build a nest in your gutters or downspout, which will cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start to see some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or puddling – 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 tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs indicate there are issues with your rain gutter that must be addressed immediately. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Farmington Hills can be helpful. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do basic gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are eager to take on the chore a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, any job beyond basic gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with good customer reviews like Farmington Hills Gutter Service. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the issue. We provide free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any gutter repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time to install new gutters, 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!