Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Rain Gutters are really important because – although they are simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help prevent your home from major damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you probably think.
Spotting a leak in your gutters early can protect your entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roofer) to determine if your gutters may be leaking.
How to Identify a Gutter Leak
There are several signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t 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 the gutters pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, low quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the home might not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will certainly lead to issues. Having these defects repaired is more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If rain is pooling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is probably present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your house, just to be careful.
Pooling water by your house can be bad 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 drips.
A drip coming from your gutter indicates 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 tiny leaks can happen 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 rain gutters likely means a leak will begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits 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 refastening them, but it may also be necessary to seal the hole so no more water can leak from around 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 when it is constantly or frequently there. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other debris stick to the wet 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 away and the gutters repaired, but if the gutters are rusty, they will 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 tree limb fall on your roof, but you’re beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all factors should 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 gutter leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Corvallis gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A 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 for a little 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 it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your rain 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 visible signs indicate there are issues with your rain 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 Corvallis can be of great help. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are ready to complete the project 1-2 times each year to save some money.
However, anything beyond simple gutter cleaning should be left to professionals.
Start by calling a gutter service with good customer reviews like Clear & Clean Gutters of Corvallis. Then let us do an inspection to correctly determine the problem. We provide free inspections for potential 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. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!