Are Your Gutters Leaking?

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

And it’s really much easier than you might think.

Finding a gutter leak early can protect an entire home. Here, we’ve listed a few indicators that you can look for (without hiring a roofer) to see if you have a gutter leaking.

How to Identify Leaking Gutters

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

Here are some things to look for:

Obvious Flaws – When gutters start to pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, poor quality materials, storm damage or age. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any part of them pulling away from the roof might not cause a leak yet, but these things will ultimately result in issues. Getting these defects fixed is a lot more affordable than gutter replacement or any of the damages a leak can cause.

Pooling Water – If water is puddling around your house, 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 close to your home, just in case.

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

Drips – One of the more noticeable signs of gutter leaks 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 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 – Finding nails and screws working their way out of the gutters likely means a leak will begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in becomes a new area where water can escape if the fastener starts to fall out.

Sometimes the solution is as simple as tightening them, but it may also be important to cover the hole so no more water can leak from around the screw or nail, even after it is back in place. You can purchase this sealant, or let a gutter repair company put it on.

Water Stains or Rust – Water leaves evidence behind, especially if it is consistently or frequently there. Darker water stains will appear because dirt and other organic debris adhere to the wet surface better than it would a dry one.

Rust is the result of nearly constant moisture, and the more severe sign you’ll see after water stains. Most water stains on gutters can be cleaned away and the gutters can be fixed, but if your gutters are rusty, they 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 or walkways, decaying wood on your porch 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. They also go hand in hand with older building materials, so all factors should be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.

Other gutter issues…

Not every gutter issue leads to home repairs. If you see these gutter issues, a 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 has to be removed. You can do this or hire a Murfreesboro 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 rain gutters or downspout, which can also cause overflow. Once the nest has been there for a little while, you will start to see some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or puddling – 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 destroy aluminum gutters before you even know it.

Professional Gutter Repair

Any of these visible signs indicate there are problems with your rain gutter that must be addressed immediately. By checking all of your gutters and downspouts, you can tell if there’s a reason for concern.

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

Homeowners can choose to do basic gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it is time consuming and somewhat dangerous, they are ready to take on the chore a couple of times each year to save a little money.

However, any job beyond basic gutter cleaning should be left to the professionals.

Start by finding a gutter service with good customer reviews like Murfreesboro Gutters. Then let us do an inspection to correctly diagnose the problem. We offer free inspections for new customers.

If there are any repairs to be made, or if we think that it’s time for gutter replacement, you can trust us to get the job done. Our gutter repair service can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run!