Are Your Gutters Leaking?

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

And it’s much easier than you probably think.

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

How to Identify a Gutter Leak

There are several signs that point to a leaking gutter, even if you don’t see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the lawn to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are present.

Here’s what to keep an eye out for:

Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it stresses the connectors. Cracks can be caused by faulty installation, poor quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the home may not be causing a leak yet, but will certainly result in problems. Having these defects fixed is affordable than replacing gutters or any of the damages a leak can cause.

Pooling – If rain is pooling around your home, it’s a possible sign that a gutter leak is present. But you should also check pipes, water spigots and any other water source that is near your house, just to be sure.

Pooling water near your home can be especially damaging for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and might cause your windows to leak.

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

A drip coming from your gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom of the gutter and it isn’t overflowing, there is a hidden leak. These minor leaks will occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item on our list).

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

Sometimes the answer is as easy as tightening them, but it might also be important to cover the hole so no water can escape from around the screw or the nail, even after it is back in place. You can buy this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.

Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves behind evidence, especially when it is constantly or frequently present. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other organic debris stick to the moist surface better than it would a drier one.

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

Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you may have leaking gutters.

These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with aging building materials, so all of these factors need to be taken into account when inspecting gutters for leaks.

Other gutter issues…

Not all gutter issues lead to major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a gutter leak might not be the problem.

Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that has to be cleaned out. You can do this yourself or hire a Vacaville gutter cleaning company – or even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.

Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which will also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start seeing some of the above signs of leaks – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of it.

Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain 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 even know it.

Professional Gutter Repair

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

This is where a professional gutter service in Vacaville can be helpful. They can distinguish if gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to lengthen the life of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.

Some homeowners choose to do simple 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 chore a couple of times a year to save a little money.

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

Start by hiring a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Vacaville Gutters, Inc.. Then let us do an inspection to accurately determine the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.

If there are any 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 right. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!