Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help prevent your house from major damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you probably think.
Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect your entire house. In this blog post, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roofer) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are several warning signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connections. 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 roofing may not cause a leak just yet, but these things will certainly create problems. Getting these defects fixed is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If water is pooling around your house, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your home, just to be sure.
Pooling water around your home can be damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the more noticeable signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several drips.
A drip from your gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These small leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters 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 escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as simple as refastening them, but it might also be important to cover the hole so no more water can leak from around the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially if it is consistently or frequently there. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other materials stick to the wet surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the result of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters fixed, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently 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 or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also are related to aging building materials, so all of these factors need to be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to major repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is typically an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that has to be removed. You can do this or hire a Chelsea gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your 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 leaks – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be small 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 issues with your 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 gutter service in Chelsea can be helpful. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your home’s 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 somewhat dangerous, they are eager to complete the chore a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like Mystic Gutter Cleaning. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately determine the problem. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time to install new gutters, you can count on us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!