Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are very important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your home from damages.
And it’s really much easier than you probably think.
Finding a leaking gutter early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to see if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are a lot of warning signs that suggest a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, low quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the house might not cause a leak yet, but will certainly cause issues. Getting these defects repaired is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling – If water is pooling around your house, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your home, just in case.
Pooling water near your house can be especially bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause your windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most obvious signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several drips.
A drip coming from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t a big overflow, there is a hidden leak somewhere. These minor leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters likely means a leak will start soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole 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 solution is as simple as tightening them, but it may also be important to cover the hole so no more water can leak from around the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially if it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic materials adhere to the wet surface better than on a dry one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters can be repaired, but if gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or be 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 beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you could have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also are related to older building materials, so all of these 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 gutter leak may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that needs to be removed. You can do this or hire a Eden Prairie gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can also 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 pooling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
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 even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs indicate there are problems with your gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a cause for concern.
This is where a gutter service in Eden Prairie can be of great help. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.
Some homeowners choose to do basic gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and dangerous, they are willing to take on the chore 1-2 times a year to save some money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Eden Prairie Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately determine the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time to install new gutters, 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!