Are Your Gutters Leaking?
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Gutters are important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to protect your home from damages.
And it’s much simpler than you might think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to see if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are a lot of signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the roof, it stresses the connectors. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roofing may not be causing a leak yet, but these things will definitely create issues. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If rain is pooling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your house, just in case.
Pooling water around your home can be damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the more noticeable signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several drips.
A drip coming 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. These tiny leaks can occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing 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 becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the answer is as simple as tightening them, but it can 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 purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially when it is constantly or frequently there. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other organic materials stick to the moist 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. Most water stains can be cleaned and the gutters fixed, but if the gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting 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 somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to aging building materials, so all of these factors should be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s likely not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a CITY gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which will also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there a 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 gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are problems with your gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a gutter service in Dublin can be helpful. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are willing to take on the project a couple of times each year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning should be left to professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like Dublin Gutter Service. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately diagnose the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are 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 will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!