Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are so important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your home from damages.
And it’s a lot easier than you probably think.
Spotting a gutter leak early can protect an entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can look for (without hiring a roofer) to see if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are many signs that indicate a leaking gutter, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it causes stress on the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the home may not cause a leak just yet, but will certainly lead to issues. Having these defects repaired is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If rain is puddling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water near your home can be very harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the more noticeable signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These tiny leaks can occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws working their way out of the rain gutters likely means a leak is going to start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits in starts to become a new area where water can get out if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as easy as tightening them, but it could also be necessary to seal the hole so no more water can leak from the edge of 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 behind evidence, especially if it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other debris stick to the wet surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned and the gutters can be repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you could have a gutter leak.
These are all signs that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with aging building materials, so all factors should 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 leak may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty easy fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Longmont 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 also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, 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 take root in your rain gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs mean there are problems with your rain gutter that must be addressed immediately. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Longmont can be helpful. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are willing to complete the project a couple of times each year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Longmont Gutters Unlimited. Then let us do an inspection to accurately diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we think 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!