A leaky gutter poses a big problem – it can do damage to your roof, fascia, siding, and can even cause serious damage to your foundation. It can also cause garden erosion, flooding, and wood rot.
Major repairs caused by a dripping gutter can result in costly repairs and stress. Your best weapon? Prevention. Save a ton of money by knowing the common causes of gutter leaks and how to avoid them.
Cause # 1: Unsecured Gutters
When there is a leak in your gutter, one potential cause is loose or unsecured hangers. Gutter hangers are internal or external accessories or joints. These hangers make sure your gutters are securely attached to your roof’s fascia board.
Sometimes the weight of rainwater, or wet stuff stuck along the rain gutter, causes the hangers to sag. As a result, when it rains, the water will seep through the loose joints— and you guessed it right, your entire gutter system will leak.
How To Avoid This Problem:
Your gutter should be free of debris at all times. You can hire a cleaning service to clean the wet rubbish like leaves along your gutter and maintain its cleanliness. Additionally, secure the hangers tightly to the fascia board.
Cause #2: Harsh Weather Conditions
Most of the time, your enemy is harsh weather conditions, especially when the weather changes are severe. This natural occurrence can prove worse to galvanized steel gutters. When your gutters are exposed to bad changes in weather, they tend to crack at the seams. Your gutter nails and braces can also break and crack.
How To Avoid This Problem
The only solution is to repaint your gutters. Why? You are countering the accumulation of rust under the paint coat. It is advisable to repaint your gutters properly so they can hold up for many years. If not, you will find yourself repainting several times a year.
Cause #3: Clogs
Clogs or congested gutters are common causes of leaks. When your gutters are packed with debris, like leaf litter, water will not go out through the downspout. Instead, with all the rubbish, the water will spill out over the edges of the gutter, and over the sides. Sometimes it’s the downspout that is clogged.
How To Avoid This Problem
Regularly check your gutters for debris and simply remove them by hand. If your home is particularly situated near trees and foliage, you may want to check your gutters every two to three months. If your home is nowhere near trees, best to check annually.
Cause #4: Improper Slope
It’s all about the angle. Your rain gutters should be slightly sloped downwards. Why? So that rainwater will slide to the downspout, all the way out to the ground. If installed incorrectly, and your gutters are improperly sloped, water gets stuck along the gutters. Heavy pools of water will cause your gutters to sag— and, yes, leak.
How To Avoid This Problem
To prevent this, observe your newly installed gutters when it rains. Or hire a rain gutter technician to inspect the downward slope, and if needed, to adjust it accordingly.
Cause #5: Cracks, Holes, and Gaps
Holes, gaps and cracks are caused by rust. How does rust develop? When rain gutters— particularly metal ones— are not maintained properly. When neglected, rainwater or debris will pool in specific areas along the gutter, which builds rust. When rust-induced holes appear, it will certainly cause major dampness to your home.
How To Avoid This Problem
When you spot holes, gaps, and cracks, immediately work on covering them with a silicone waterproof sealant. Or you can remove the old sealant and replace it with a new one.
