Are Your Gutters Leaking?

Rain Gutters are really important because – despite being simple and relatively inexpensive – they protect valuable home investments, such as the roof, foundation and windows. Caring for and cleaning gutters is an easy way to help protect your house from major damages.

And it’s really much simpler than you probably think.

Identifying a leaking gutter early can protect an entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to determine if you have a gutter leaking.

How to Identify a Gutter Leak

There are many warning signs that suggest leaking gutters, even if you don’t notice water dripping. You can do a visual inspection from the safety of your ground to decide if the signs of a gutter leak are there.

Here are some things to look for:

Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the home, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be the result of poor installation, poor quality materials, damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any part of them pulling away from the home might not cause a leak yet, but will definitely cause problems. Having these defects repaired is affordable than installing new gutters or any of the damages a leak can lead to.

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

Pooling water by your home can be very bad for the foundation. It’s also bad for landscaping and could cause windows to leak.

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

A drip from your rain gutter indicates a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is an unseen leak. These minor leaks will occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).

Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the rain gutters likely means a leak is going to start 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 easy as refastening them, but it can also be important to seal the hole so no water can leak from the edge of 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 consistently or frequently there. Dark water stains appear because dirt and other materials stick to the wet surface better than on a drier one.

Rust is the product of constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll notice after you see water stains. Most water stains can be cleaned and the gutters can be fixed, but if your gutters are rusty, they definitely need 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 see paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, decaying wood on your patio or deck, or mold on your window sills, you could have leaking gutters.

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

Other gutter issues…

Not every gutter issue leads to major repairs. If you see these common gutter issues, a gutter leak may not be the issue.

Rain Overflow – This issue is typically an easy fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that should be removed. You can do this yourself or hire a Philadelphia gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean out the gutters.

Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk can quickly 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 a leak in a gutter – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of the nest.

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 visible signs mean there are problems with your rain gutter that need to be addressed right away. By checking your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.

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

Some homeowners choose to do simple gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are eager to complete the chore a couple of times each year to save a little money.

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

Start by finding a gutter service with excellent customer reviews like Philadelphia Gutter Solutions. Then let us do an inspection to correctly determine the problem. We provide free inspections for new customers.

If there are gutter repairs to be made, or if we believe that it’s time to install new gutters, you can count on us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!