Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are very important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your house from major damages.
And it’s really much easier than you probably think.
Finding a gutter leak early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roofer) to see if your gutters are leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are several signs that point to leaking gutters, even if you don’t physically see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the ground to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are present.
Here are some things to look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the house may not be causing a leak yet, but these things will definitely cause issues. Having these defects repaired is a lot more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling – If rain is pooling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your house, just in case.
Pooling water around your house can be very 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 a big overflow, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These minor leaks can occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters means a leak will start 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 easy as refastening them, but it could also be important to seal the hole so no water can escape from around the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially when it is consistently or frequently present. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other organic materials adhere to the moist surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters fixed, but if gutters are rusty, they 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 limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with aging building materials, so all of these 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 common gutter issues, a gutter 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 should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Downers Grove gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A 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 pooling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be little now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these obvious signs indicate there are issues with your rain gutter that have to be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a professional gutter service in Downers Grove can be of great help. They can determine if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to complete the chore a couple of times each year to save some money.
However, anything beyond basic gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with good customer reviews like Downers Grove Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the issue. We provide free inspections for potential 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 can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!