Are Your Gutters Leaking?

Gutters are important because – despite being simple and relatively 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 prevent your house from damages.

And it’s a lot simpler than you might think.

Spotting a leaking gutter early can protect the entire house. In this blog post, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roofer) to see if your gutters may be leaking.

How to Identify a Gutter Leak

There are several signs that suggest a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.

Here are some things to keep an eye out for:

Obvious Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connectors. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roof may not be causing a leak just yet, but will certainly create problems. Getting these defects repaired is a lot more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.

Pooling – If water is puddling 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 other water source that is near your house, just in case.

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

Dripping – One of the most visible signs of a leaking gutter is a drip, or several of them.

A drip 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 a hidden leak somewhere. These tiny leaks can occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).

Visible Fasteners – Finding nails and screws working their way out of the rain gutters likely means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in becomes a new area where water can get out if the fastener works its way out.

Sometimes the solution is as simple as refastening them, but it might also be necessary to cover the hole so no more water can escape from around the screw or 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 constantly or frequently present. Dark water stains will appear because dirt and other organic materials stick to the wet surface better than on a dry one.

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

Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t been a severe 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, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you could have a gutter leak.

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

Other gutter issues…

Not all gutter issues lead to home repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a leak may not be the problem.

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

Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly build a nest in your 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 leaks – like rust or puddling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.

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

Professional Gutter Repair

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

This is when a gutter service in Seattle can be helpful. They can distinguish 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 the only thing that’s needed.

Some homeowners decide to do basic gutter care, such as gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are ready 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 finding a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Seattle Gutter Solutions. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the problem. We offer free inspections for new customers.

If there are any gutter repairs to be made, or if we feel that it’s time for gutter replacement, 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!