Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to prevent your house from major damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you probably think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect the entire home. In this blog post, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roofer) to see if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are a lot of warning signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here are some things to look for:
Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the home might not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will certainly lead to problems. Getting these defects repaired is more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If rain is puddling around your home, it’s a 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 near your home can be harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can 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 coming from your gutter indicates 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 small 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 means a leak will begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as refastening 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 back in place. You can buy this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially if it is constantly or frequently present. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris 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 water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also are related to aging building materials, so all factors should be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak might not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Burnsville gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can 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 puddling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain gutter with little debris present. While it may be little now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are problems with your rain gutter that must be addressed immediately. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Burnsville 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 decide to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are willing to take on the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by finding a gutter service with good customer reviews like Burnsville Gutter Cleaning. Then let us do an inspection to accurately diagnose the problem. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are gutter repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can trust us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!