Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, like the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning rain gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from damages.
And it’s a lot simpler than you might think.
Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire house. Here, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to determine if there is a leak in your gutters.
How to Identify Leaking Gutters
There are a number of signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are present.
Here are some things to look for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roofing might not cause a leak yet, but will ultimately create issues. Getting these defects repaired is a lot more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can lead to.
Pooling Water – If rain is puddling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is close to your home, just to be careful.
Pooling water by your house can be very bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most obvious signs of a gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.
A drip coming from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These minor leaks can happen if a fastener has gotten 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 is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits becomes a new area where water can get out if the fastener works its way out.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as refastening them, but it could also be necessary to seal the hole so no water can escape from around the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.
Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is constantly or frequently present. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the wet surface better than it would a dry one.
Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned and the gutters fixed, but if gutters are rusty, they will definitely have to be repaired or replaced.
Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re beginning to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have a gutter leak.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to aging building materials, so all factors should be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak may not be the problem.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty easy fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this or hire a Kansas City gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.
Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your gutters or downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start to see some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.
Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your gutter with small amounts of debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout really strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are problems with your rain gutter that must be addressed immediately. By quickly checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a cause for concern.
This is when a professional gutter service in Kansas City can be of great help. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.
Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are ready to complete the chore a couple of times a year to save some money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like AllClean KC Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to correctly determine the problem. We offer free inspections for potential customers.
If there are any gutter repairs to be made, or if we think that it’s time to install new gutters, 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!