Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are so important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your house from major damages.
And it’s really much easier than you might think.
Finding a gutter leak early can protect your entire house. In this blog post, we’ve provided a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roofer) to see if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are a lot of signs that suggest a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here are some things to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the home, it causes stress on the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roofing might not cause a leak yet, but will certainly result in issues. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If rain is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your house, just to be sure.
Pooling water around your home can be especially damaging 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 leaking gutter is a drip, or several drips.
A drip from your rain gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These small leaks will happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits in becomes a new area where water can get out if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as refastening them, but it can also be important to seal the hole so no water can leak from around the screw or the 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 evidence behind, especially when it is constantly or frequently there. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other 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 see after you see water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they definitely have to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all factors need to be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Holyoke 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 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 leaks – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout really strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs mean there are problems with your gutter that have to be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Holyoke can be helpful. They can determine whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are ready to complete the chore a couple of times each year to save some money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like NE Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately determine the issue. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are gutter repairs to be made, or if we think that it’s time for gutter replacement, 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!