Are Your Gutters Leaking?

Rain Gutters are very important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home components, like 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 simpler than you might think.

Spotting a gutter leak early can protect your entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if your gutters may be leaking.

How to Identify Leaking Gutters

There are many signs that suggest a leaking gutter, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your lawn to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.

Here are some things to look for:

Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the house, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roof may not be causing a leak yet, but will certainly result in issues. Having these defects fixed is much more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can lead to.

Pooling Water – If water 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 near your house, just to be careful.

Pooling water near your house can be really damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.

Dripping – One of the most obvious signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.

A drip from your rain 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 tiny leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).

Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws working their way out of the rain gutters means a leak will 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 easy as refastening them, but it may also be important to cover the hole so no water can leak from the edge of 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 debris stick to the moist surface better than it would a drier one.

Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters fixed, but if gutters are rusty, they definitely need to be repaired or replaced.

Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a 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 somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to older building materials, so all of these factors should 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 might not be the problem.

Rain Overflow – This issue is typically an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Waldorf gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.

Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your gutters or 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 puddling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.

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 really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you know it.

Professional Gutter Repair

Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are issues with your gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.

This is where a professional gutter service in Waldorf can be helpful. They can determine 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 choose to do basic gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are ready to take on the project 1-2 times a year to save a little money.

However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.

Start by hiring a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like WeClean Waldorf Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for new customers.

If there are any repairs to be made, or if we believe 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!