Are Your Gutters Leaking?

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

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

Finding a gutter leak early can protect an entire home. In this blog post, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to see 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 actually notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are present.

Here are some things to look for:

Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the house, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roof may not cause a leak yet, but these things will certainly result in issues. Getting these defects fixed is a lot more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the potential damages a leak can cause.

Pooling Water – If rain is puddling around your house, 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 near your home, just to be careful.

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 obvious signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several drips.

A drip from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These small 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 escape if the fastener starts to fall out.

Sometimes the answer is as easy as refastening them, but it could also be important to cover the hole so no more water can leak from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this 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. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other materials adhere to the wet surface better than it would a drier one.

Rust is the result of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after water stains. water stains can be cleaned away and the gutters can be repaired, but if your gutters are rusty, they definitely have to be repaired or replaced.

Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have a gutter leak.

These are all signs that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t be. They also are related to older building materials, so all factors need to 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 one is usually an easy fix. It’s probably not a leak, but a clog that should be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Marietta gutter cleaning company – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.

Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other 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 leaks – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.

Trees & Plants – A tree can take root in your gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be small now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can damage aluminum gutters before you even know it.

Professional Gutter Repair

Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are problems with your rain gutter that must be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a cause for concern.

This is where a gutter service in Marietta can be of great help. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the life of your home’s gutters. Sometimes, gutter cleaning is all that’s needed.

Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are willing to complete the project 1-2 times a year to save a little money.

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

Start by hiring a gutter service with good customer reviews like Marietta Gutters & More!. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.

If there are 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 will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!