Are Your Gutters Leaking?

Rain Gutters are so important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, 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 really a lot easier than you might think.

Finding a gutter leak early can protect an entire house. Below, we’ve listed a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roofer) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.

How to Identify a Leaking Gutter

There are several signs that indicate a gutter leak, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the safety of your lawn to determine if the signs of a leaking gutter are there.

Here are some things to look for:

Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, poor quality materials, 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 just yet, but these things will definitely lead to problems. Having these defects repaired is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can lead to.

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

Pooling water near your house can be very harmful 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 rain gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak. These small leaks can happen if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).

Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters means a leak will begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The area where the nail or screw fits in starts to become a new area where water can escape if the fastener works its way out.

Sometimes the solution is as simple as tightening them, but it could also be important 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 sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.

Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains appear because dirt and other organic debris adhere 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 your gutters are rusty, they will definitely need 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 starting 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 leaking gutters.

These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also are related to older building materials, so all factors should be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.

Other gutter issues…

Not every gutter issue leads 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 removed. You can do this or hire a Berwyn 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 will also 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 easily take root in your gutter with minimal debris present. While it may be little now, a sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.

Professional Gutter Repair

Any of these easy-to-see signs indicate there are issues with your gutter that have to be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a cause for concern.

This is when a gutter service in Berwyn can be of great help. They can determine if 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 simple gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are ready to complete the project 1-2 times each year to save a little money.

However, any job beyond simple gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.

Start by finding a gutter service with good customer reviews like Berwyn Gutter Cleaning. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the problem. We offer free inspections for potential customers.

If there are any gutter repairs to be made, or if we believe 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!