Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help prevent your house from major damages.
And it’s a lot easier than you might think.
Identifying a gutter leak early can protect your entire home. Below, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without calling a roof specialist) to determine if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are several warning signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t physically 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 look for:
Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be the result of faulty installation, poor quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house might not cause a leak yet, but these things will definitely cause issues. Having these defects repaired is a lot more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If rain is puddling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your home, just to be sure.
Pooling water around your house can be very harmful for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several drips.
A drip coming from your rain gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t overflowing, there is a hidden leak. These minor leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws working their way out of the 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 get out if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as simple as tightening them, but it can also be necessary to seal the hole so no water can escape from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves evidence behind, especially when it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other materials stick to the moist surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the result of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll notice after water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters can be repaired, but if the gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or be replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of 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 mold on your window sills, you may have leaking gutters.
These are all indications 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 should be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Cincinnati gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or another pest can build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can cause overflow. Once the nest has been there a 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 gutter with little debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs mean there are problems with your rain gutter that have to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Cincinnati can be of great help. They can determine if 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 the only thing that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are willing to take on the project a couple of times each year to save a little money.
However, any job beyond gutter cleaning is best left to professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like CIN Gutter Services. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the problem. We provide free inspections for potential 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 right. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!