Are Your Gutters Leaking?

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

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

Finding a leak in your gutters early can protect your entire house. Below, we’ve provided a few signs that you can look for (without hiring a roof specialist) to see if there is a leak in your gutters.

How to Identify a Leaking Gutter

There are many signs that point to a gutter leak, even if you don’t physically notice water dripping. You can do an inspection from the ground to determine if the signs of a gutter leak are there.

Here’s what to look for:

Visible Flaws – When the gutters pull away from the roof, it causes stress on the connections. Cracks can be caused by poor installation, low quality materials, storm damage or general wear and tear. Cracks in the gutter or seeing any section of them pulling away from the home might not cause a leak yet, but will certainly cause problems. Having these defects repaired is much more affordable than replacing gutters or any of the potential damages a leak can lead to.

Pooling Water – If water is pooling 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 house, just to be careful.

Pooling water by your house can be really 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 gutter leak is a drip, or several of them.

A drip from your rain gutter could indicate a clog, but if it’s coming from the bottom and it isn’t overflowing, there is a hidden leak. These small leaks can occur if a fastener has gotten loose (see the next item below).

Visible Fasteners – Seeing nails and screws wiggling their way out of the gutters means a leak is going to begin soon, if it hasn’t already. The hole where the nail or screw fits in starts to become 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 seal the hole so no water can escape from the edge of the screw or nail, even after it is tightened again. You can purchase this type of sealant, or let a gutter repair company apply it.

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

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

Unexplained Home Damage – If there hasn’t recently been a storm, and you haven’t had a limb fall on top of your roof, but you’re starting 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 might have a gutter leak.

These are all indications that water has been leaking from a place it shouldn’t. They also go hand in hand with aging building materials, so all factors need to be considered when inspecting gutters for leaks.

Other gutter issues…

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

Rain Overflow – This one is usually an easy fix. It’s likely not a leak, but a clog that needs to be removed. You can do this or hire a Boston gutter cleaning service – even a general handyman – to clean them out.

Animal Nests – A bird, squirrel, chipmunk or other pest can quickly build a nest in your rain gutters or downspout, which can cause overflow. Once the nest has been there awhile, you will start to see some of the above signs of a leak in a gutter – like rust or pooling – if you don’t get rid of it.

Trees & Plants – A tree can easily take root in your rain 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 obvious signs mean there are problems with your gutter that have to be addressed right away. By quickly checking your gutters and downspouts, you can see if there’s a reason for concern.

This is when a professional gutter service in Boston can be helpful. They can distinguish whether gutter replacement is necessary or if you can get by with repairs to extend the lifetime of your gutters. Sometimes, basic gutter cleaning is the only thing that’s needed.

Some homeowners choose to do basic gutter care, like gutter cleaning, themselves. Although it it can be time consuming and dangerous, they are eager to complete the project 1-2 times a year to save some money.

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

Start by calling a gutter service with good customer reviews like Better Boston Gutters. Then let us do a full inspection to correctly determine the issue. We provide free inspections for potential customers.

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