Are Your Gutters Leaking?

Rain Gutters are so important because – although they are simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home components, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help prevent your house from damages.

And it’s much easier than you probably think.

Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.

How to Identify a Gutter Leak

There are many warning signs that point to leaking gutters, even if you don’t physically notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are present.

Here’s what to look for:

Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the house, it stresses the connectors. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, poor quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. 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. Having these defects fixed is much more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can cause.

Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably present. You should also check 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 bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and can cause your windows to leak.

Drips – One of the more noticeable signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.

A drip from your rain gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak. These small leaks will occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).

Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the 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 water can leak from around the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.

Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves evidence behind, especially if it is constantly or frequently there. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other organic materials stick to the wet surface better than on a dry one.

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

Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting 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 could have a gutter leak.

These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t be. They also are related to older building materials, so all factors should be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.

Other gutter issues…

Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak might not be the issue.

Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Decatur 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 gutters or downspout, which can 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 the nest.

Trees & Plants – A tree can easily 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 obvious signs mean there are problems with your rain gutter that must 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 Decatur can be of great help. They can determine if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.

Homeowners can decide to do basic gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to take on the chore 1-2 times a year to save a little money.

However, anything beyond basic gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.

Start by finding a gutter service with good customer reviews like Decatur Gutter Service. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the issue. We provide free inspections for new customers.

If there are 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!