Are Your Gutters Leaking?
Gutters are really important because – while they are simple and inexpensive – they protect more valuable home components, like the roof, foundation and windows. Taking care of and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from major damages.
And it’s really much easier than you might think.
Spotting a gutter leak early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to determine if you have a gutter leaking.
How to Identify a Leaking Gutter
There are several signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t physically see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the house, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, low quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the house might not be causing a leak just yet, but will certainly lead to problems. Having these defects repaired is affordable than gutter replacement or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.
Pooling Water – If water is pooling around your home, 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 careful.
Pooling water near your home can be very damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause your windows to leak.
Dripping – One of the most visible 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 small leaks can occur 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 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 escape if the fastener starts to fall out.
Sometimes the solution is as easy as tightening them, but it can also be necessary to seal the hole so no water can leak from around the screw or the 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 evidence behind, especially if it is consistently or frequently present. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other debris adhere to the moist surface better than on a drier one.
Rust is the product of nearly constant moisture, and the more extreme sign you’ll see after you see water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned and the gutters fixed, but if 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 limb fall on your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you could have leaking gutters.
These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to older building materials, so all factors should be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.
Other gutter issues…
Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak may not be the issue.
Rain Overflow – This issue is a pretty simple fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Schaumburg gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean them out.
Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your gutters or in your downspout, which can 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 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 strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.
Professional Gutter Repair
Any of these visible signs mean there are issues with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By quickly checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.
This is when a gutter service in Schaumburg can be helpful. They can determine if gutter replacement is necessary 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, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and dangerous, they are willing to complete the chore 1-2 times each year to save some money.
However, anything beyond gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Start by hiring a gutter service with good customer reviews like Schaumburg Gutter Service. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We provide free inspections for new customers.
If there are gutter repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time to install new gutters, you can count on us to get the job done right. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!