Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are very important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to prevent your home from damages.
And it’s really a lot easier than you probably think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect your entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are several signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the house, it stresses the connectors. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house might not be causing a leak yet, but these things will ultimately create problems. Getting these defects fixed is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the potential damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – 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 house, just to be careful.
Pooling water by your home can be really damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is a hidden leak. These small leaks will occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits 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 may also be necessary to seal the hole so no water can escape from around the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially if it is consistently or frequently there. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other organic materials adhere to the wet surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need 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 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 moldy window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to aging building materials, so all 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 issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that needs to be removed. You can do this or hire a Albany gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or another pest can quickly build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which will cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start to see some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or pooling – 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 sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs indicate there are problems with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Albany 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, 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 it can be time-consuming and dangerous, they are eager to take on the chore a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning should be left to professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with good customer reviews like AllClean Albany Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately diagnose the problem. We provide free inspections for potential 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!