Are Your Gutters Leaking?

Gutters are really important because – although they are simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home investments, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to protect your house from damages.

And it’s really much simpler than you probably think.

Finding a gutter leak early can protect the entire house. Here, we’ve provided a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without hiring a roofer) to see if your gutters may be leaking.

How to Identify a Leaking Gutter

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

Here’s what to look for:

Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it causes stress on the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, low quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roof may not be causing a leak just yet, but will definitely result in problems. Having these defects fixed is more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can cause.

Pooling – If rain is pooling around your house, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is probably present. You should also check underground pipes, water spigots and any water source that is near your home, just in case.

Pooling water around your house can be bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause windows to leak.

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

A drip from your gutter indicates a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak. These tiny leaks will occur 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 means a leak is going to start soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.

Sometimes the answer is as easy as tightening them, but it might also be important to seal the hole so no more water can escape from around the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can buy this type of 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 present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris 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 notice after water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned and the gutters can be fixed, but if your gutters are rusty, they definitely have to be repaired or be 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 around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you could have leaking gutters.

These are all signs that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all of these 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 common gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.

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

Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can build a nest in your rain gutters or in your downspout, which will 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 take root in your rain gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be small 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 gutter that need to be addressed immediately. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a cause for concern.

This is when a gutter service in Romeoville can be of great help. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is required or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.

Homeowners can choose to do basic gutter care and maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are willing to complete the project a couple of times a year to save a little money.

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

Start by hiring a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like Action Gutter Cleaning. Then let us do an inspection to correctly determine the issue. We offer free inspections for potential customers.

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