If water is getting through your roof somehow and causing damage to your home’s interior. It can be difficult to find the source of the leak. That’s because water has a way of traveling once it gets through your roof. The leak may be coming from higher up on your roof but the water that’s getting through is traveling down a rafter before dripping onto your ceiling closer to the edge of your roof.

Occasionally, a roof leak isn’t a problem with your shingles at all but rather, your rain gutters. If you’re noticing signs of water damage such as discoloration in your attic, ceilings, or walls and you can’t seem to find any obvious damage to your roof, it may be a good idea to take a closer look at the rain gutters.

Clogged gutters can cause a leak

Over time, your rain gutters will become clogged with leaves, twigs, dirt, and other debris. Unless the rain gutters are cleared out, water won’t be able to make it off the roof when it rains. With nowhere to go, water will back up onto the roof itself. The pooling water can seep through shingles and will cause the shingles to fail prematurely.

How to diagnose a rain gutter problem

The next time there’s a good rain, head outside and take a look at the rain gutters. If the gutters are overflowing or water is running down the exterior of your home, then the rain gutters aren’t doing their job. Another tell-tale sign, if you live in a colder climate, is ice dams. Think back to winter which wasn’t too long ago. Did icicles form along the edge of your roof? If so, there’s a good chance that you had an ice damming problem that was the result of clogged rain gutters.

How to fix it

The best solution will depend on the state of your rain gutters. If they’re still in pretty good shape, a simple cleaning is all that needs to be done. Working from a ladder, go around your home gently removing any debris that’s in the gutters. Don’t forget to clear away any dirt that may be clogging up the downspouts as well. It’s best to clean your gutters with a buddy who can steady the ladder. Don’t try to clean your gutters from the roof. Every year many homeowners are killed or seriously injured from falling off a roof.

If the rain gutters have rusted, pulled loose from the side of the home, or are bent or otherwise damaged, then those problems will need to be fixed as well. It may be time to have the rain gutter system replaced entirely. Keep in mind that if you have many tall trees around your home, your rain gutters will need to be cleared out much more frequently. It may be a good investment to have rain gutter screens installed to keep debris out.

Home improvement news brought to you by bartonroof.com

Source: democratandchronicle.com/story/marketplace/real-estate/2016/03/17/ludwig-keep-those-gutters-clean/81832360/