“Why Are My Gutters Dripping?” is a question worth exploring. It is not uncommon for people to ignore leaking gutters. When you see a little water dripping from your gutter, it is important to understand what may be the cause. Below, we discuss five common causes of dripping gutters that we see frequently.
Discovering the Possible Reasons for Dripping Gutters
First, we recommend that you have a professional meet with you to inspect your gutter systems. Because of varying degrees of issues, it’s impossible to diagnose every cause in an article. But following are the most common reasons.
5 Common Reasons for Dripping Gutters
Begin with a walk around the exterior of your home. You don’t need to climb a ladder and risk a fall.
1. Loose Fasteners
Your rain gutters are attached to the fascia boards with a screw, nail, or hanger. These go straight through the side of the gutter and into the fascia board. When loose, they create small leaks around the hole of the fastener. When there is a hole, there is a dripping gutter. Loose fasteners also cause the next item, improper gutter slope.
2. Improper Gutter Slope
Over time, gutters will sag. One reason is because of loose fasteners. So that rain water drains towards the downspouts, your gutters should be installed with a slight downward slope. When fasteners are loose, rain water will weigh down the gutter and change the slope. And when this happens, you will have a dripping gutter.
When a gutter sags, often times, the best way to fix is to have the sagging sections re-hung.
3. Cracks or Holes
Small cracks and holes are repaired by sealing with a special waterproof gutter sealant. If not repaired, the smaller cracks and holes will enlarge over time and you’ll notice your gutters dripping.
If holes are large, the best way to resolve is to replace the entire section of gutter.
4. Clogged Gutters
Clogged gutters cause rain water to back-up and not flow through the downspout. When water backs up, it will pour over the sides and edges of the gutter.
It’s very important to keep your gutters and downspouts clean from leaves and debris. Worse things can happen with clogged gutters, than just water flowing over the sides and edges.
5. Separated Joints
The gutter section joints–especially in the corners or ends, eventually begin to separate over time. When we clean your gutters, we reseal and tighten your gutter systems.
Are Your Gutters Dripping?
There are several reasons why gutters leak. Stay safe and call us for a FREE INSPECTION. If we find an issue, we quickly provide you with a estimate for cleaning or needed repairs.
