Are Your Gutters Leaking?

Rain Gutters are really important because – although they are simple and relatively 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 house from damages.

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

Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect an entire house. Here, we’ve provided 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 Leaking Gutters

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

Here’s what to keep an eye out for:

Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the house, it stresses the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, low quality materials, damage or age. Cracks in the gutter channel or seeing any section of them pulling away from the roofing might not be causing a leak just yet, but these things will definitely result in issues. Having these defects repaired is a lot more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the possible damages a leak can lead to.

Pooling – If rain is puddling 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 home, just to be careful.

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

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

A drip coming from your rain gutter is likely a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t a big overflow, there is an unseen leak somewhere. These minor leaks can happen 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 gutters 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 escape if the fastener starts to fall out.

Sometimes the solution is as simple as refastening them, but it might also be important to seal the hole so no water can leak from around the screw or the nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.

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

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

Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a severe storm, and you haven’t had a tree limb fall on your roof, but you’re beginning to notice paint flaking, cracking in the foundation around the downspouts or walkways, rotting wood on your porch or deck, or mold on your window sills, you might 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 older 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 major repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a leak may not be the issue.

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

Animal Nests – A small bird, squirrel, chipmunk can build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which will 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 the nest.

Trees & Plants – A tree can 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 damage aluminum gutters before you know it.

Professional Gutter Repair

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

This is where a professional gutter service in Aurora can be of great help. 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 all that’s needed.

Homeowners can choose to do simple gutter care and maintenance, like gutter cleaning, on their own. Although it it can be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, they are eager to take on the chore 1-2 times a year to save some money.

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

Start by hiring a gutter specialist with excellent customer reviews like PRO Aurora Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly diagnose the issue. We provide free inspections for potential customers.

If there are any gutter 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 will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!