Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are really important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from damages.
And it’s really much simpler than you might think.
Spotting a gutter leak early can protect an entire home. Below, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to see if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are a lot of warning signs that point to a leaking gutter, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your ground to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the house, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, poor quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house may not be causing a leak yet, but these things will definitely lead to issues. Getting these defects repaired is a lot more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If rain is pooling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water near your home can be really bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the more noticeable signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter indicates a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak. These small leaks can 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 means a leak is going to start soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as refastening them, but it can also be necessary to cover the hole so no water can escape from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. 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 constantly or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic materials adhere to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters can be fixed, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also are related to older building materials, so all of these 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 may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty easy fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Providence 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 gutters or in your downspout, which will also 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 easily take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be little now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs indicate there are problems with your rain gutter that have to be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Providence can be of great help. They can determine if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are eager to complete the chore 1-2 times a year to save some money.
However, any job beyond basic gutter cleaning should be left to professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with good customer reviews like Providence Gutters Plus. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are 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!