Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are so important because – while they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your home from damages.
And it’s really a lot easier than you probably think.
Finding a gutter leak early can protect an entire home. In this blog post, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are many signs that suggest a leaking gutter, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the lawn to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here are some things to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the roof, it stresses the fasteners. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house may not cause a leak yet, but will ultimately result in problems. Having these defects fixed is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your house, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is close to your home, just to be sure.
Pooling water by your house can be really damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.
Drips – One of the most obvious signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.
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 an unseen leak somewhere. These tiny leaks will happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).
Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters means a leak is going to start soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the answer is as simple as tightening them, but it could also be necessary to seal the hole so no water can escape from the edge of 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 put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Moisture leaves behind evidence, especially if it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other organic debris stick 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 water stains. water stains can be cleaned and the gutters can be repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all factors need to be taken into account 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 issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is typically an easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Des Plaines gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or in your 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 pooling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.
Trees & Plants – A tree can easily 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 obvious signs mean there are problems with your gutter that must be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Des Plaines can be of great help. They can determine if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can decide to do simple gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are eager to take on the project a couple of times a year to save a little money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by calling a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Des Plaines Gutters Plus. Then let us do an inspection to accurately diagnose the problem. We provide 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 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!