Are Your Gutters Leaking?

Gutters are very important because – although they are simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home assets, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Maintaining and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to prevent your home from major damages.

And it’s a lot easier than you probably think.

Identifying a leaking gutter early can protect an entire home. Below, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to determine if your gutters may be leaking.

How to Identify a Gutter Leak

There are a lot of warning signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the safety of your ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.

Here are some things to look for:

Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the house might not be causing a leak yet, but these things will ultimately lead to problems. Having these defects fixed is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can lead to.

Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your home, it’s a sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your home, just in case.

Pooling water around your home can be really bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause your 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 gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom 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 working their way out of the rain gutters means a leak will begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole 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 simple as tightening them, but it can also be important to cover the hole so no more water can leak from around the screw or nail, even after it is tightened again. You can buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.

Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially if it is constantly or frequently present. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other organic materials adhere 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 see after water stains. Most water stains 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 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, rotting 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. 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 all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.

Rain Overflow – This issue is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Arlington gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean them out.

Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which will 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 it.

Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your gutter with little debris present. While it may be small now, a tree 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 gutter that must be addressed immediately. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.

This is where a gutter service in Arlington can be helpful. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.

Some homeowners decide to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to take on the chore 1-2 times each year to save a little money.

However, anything beyond gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.

Start by calling a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like AllClean Arlington Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to accurately diagnose the issue. We offer free inspections for new customers.

If there are gutter repairs to be made, or if we think that it’s time to install new gutters, you can trust us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!