Are Your Gutters Leaking?

Rain Gutters are very important because – despite being simple and inexpensive – they protect valuable home assets, like 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 really much simpler than you probably think.

Identifying a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire home. Below, we’ve listed a few signs that you can be on the lookout for (without calling a roof specialist) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.

How to Identify Leaking Gutters

There are several signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t actually see water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the safety of your lawn to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are present.

Here are some things to keep an eye out for:

Visible Flaws – When gutters begin to pull away from the house, it causes stress on the fasteners. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, poor quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roof might not be causing a leak just yet, but will certainly result in problems. Having these defects repaired is much more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.

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

Pooling water around your house can be really 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 from your rain 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. These tiny leaks can occur if a fastener has become loose (see the next item on our list).

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

Sometimes the answer is as simple as refastening them, but it can also be important to cover the hole so no water can leak 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 if it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris adhere to the moist surface better than on a dry one.

Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. water stains can be cleaned and the gutters repaired, but if your 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 your roof, but you’re starting to see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation or walkways, rotting wood on your patio or deck, or moldy window sills, you might have leaking gutters.

These are all indications that water has been leaking from somewhere it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all of these factors should be factored in when inspecting gutters for leaks.

Other gutter issues…

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

Rain Overflow – This one is a pretty simple fix. It’s probably not a gutter leak, but a clog that needs to be cleaned out. You can do this or hire a Broomfield gutter cleaning service – or even a general handyman – to clean them out.

Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start seeing some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – 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 little debris present. While it may be little now, a tree sapling will sprout strong roots that can destroy aluminum gutters before you know it.

Professional Gutter Repair

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

This is when a professional gutter service in Broomfield 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, gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.

Homeowners can decide to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are ready to take on the project a couple of times a year to save some money.

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

Start by hiring a gutter specialist with good customer reviews like Better Broomfield Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We provide free inspections for potential customers.

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