Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your home from damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you probably think.
Finding a leaking gutter early can protect the entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without hiring a roofer) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are several signs that indicate leaking gutters, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.
Here’s what to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, poor quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roofing might not cause a leak yet, but will definitely result in issues. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If rain is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water around your home can be very bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most visible signs of gutter leaks is a drip, or several drips.
A drip coming 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. These tiny leaks can occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
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 becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as refastening them, but it might also be necessary to seal the hole so no more water can escape from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this 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 will appear because dirt and other organic debris adhere to the wet surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned and the gutters can be fixed, but if the gutters are rusty, they 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 your roof, but you’re beginning to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also go hand in hand with aging building materials, so all factors need to be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty easy fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Hoffman Estates gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which can cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, 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 gutter with minimal 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 visible signs mean there are issues with your gutter that need 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 gutter service in Hoffman Estates can be of great help. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners decide to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are willing to take on the chore a couple of times each year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Premiere Gutter Service. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly determine the problem. We offer free inspections for new customers.
If there are gutter 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 will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!