Three Signs of Leaking Gutters

Gutters are designed to remove water from your roof and safely drain it away from your home. However, their constant exposure to weather conditions and environmental factors means that they can structurally degrade over time. Understanding some of the warning signs that point to leaking gutters can help you determine when you should consider cleaning or replacing specific sections of your gutters to improve their overall performance.

Rust and Corrosion

One of the most obvious signs of gutters that are in dire need of replacement is if you can spot sizeable portions of your gutters that are rusting. Corrosion will usually occur at the seams of your gutters or where they have had screws and supports attached since these areas are more likely to rub away the protective layer of paint and allow water to get at the metal itself. Over time, rust can physically eat holes into your gutters and allow water to leak out along the sides of your home, so you should replace rusted out sections of your gutters as soon as you spot them.

Sagging Sections

Another sign of gutters that are no longer in the best possible condition is if you can spot sections that are physically pulling away from the roof, either because their support brackets have become broken or worn or because of age and weight pulling down sections of your gutters that were never supported in the first place. In either case, your gutters will no longer have a perfect seal with the edge of your roof. This will allow water to leak outwards—not to mention that sagging gutters can allow water to collect in them and place more weight on the already stressed structure, increasing the risk of a section falling off.

Peeling Paint

Finally, the last thing that you should watch out for that can point to consistent leaks in your gutter system— that may not be indicated by physical damage to the gutters—is the presence of peeling or faded paint along your home's siding. Water that spills over and leaks from your gutters will slowly erode the paint on your siding, causing peeling and color fading. Not only does this degrade the exterior appearance of your property, but it also opens up the possibility for water to seep underneath your siding and cause interior water damage, which can be expensive and complicated to clean up.

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