All roofs need some kind of maintenance, whether they’re shingle roofs on homes or roll roofing on flat commercial roofs. Keeping up with that maintenance will prevent you from having leaks in the future. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths floating around keeping homeowners and building owners from following-up on the maintenance their roof needs.

1. A leak is the first sign of a problem

Yes, a leak might be your first sign that your roof needs maintenance. However, a trained eye can see a leak coming before it happens. When a professional roofer inspects your roof, they may see rusted flashing, missing or damaged shingles, crumbling sealant, or any of the dozens of other signs your roof needs work. If left unchecked, any of these small issues could turn into leaks. You can avert that damage by simply having a roofer inspect your roof once yearly and make any necessary repairs.

2. Gutter cleanings are a waste of money

You may have a neighbor who hasn’t cleaned their gutters and hasn’t developed a leak — yet. This neglect will eventually catch up with them. By the time they develop a clog that causes a problem, their entire gutter system will probably have to be replaced. The back-up may even damage their shingles or landscaping. Occasional gutter repairs and replacements are relatively cheap, but still not as cheap as regular gutter cleanings. By performing them yearly, you prevent the hassles that come with a clog.

3. Warranties will cover any problems my roof develops

Most shingle manufacturers provide limited warranties that only apply if they made an error when manufacturing the shingle. They can’t control the skill of your installer, the quality of your roof’s accessories, or extreme weather. And, if you fail to maintain your roof, the manufacturer may not even honor your limited warranty.

Kelly Roofing is part of an elite program with CertainTeed, the Select ShingleMaster program, that provides you substantially more coverage. Still, you should maintain your roof to be sure that warranty will be unquestioned in case you ever need it.

4. New roofs won’t need maintenance for a while

The first year after you install a new roof is actually the most critical for maintenance. At Kelly Roofing, it’s rare that we make a mistake, but if we do, or if there’s been a manufacturer error, we want to catch it immediately while it’s still a small problem. That way, your new roof doesn’t suffer any damage.

At every stage of your roof’s life, yearly inspection and maintenance is important to keep it working properly and to keep small problems from becoming larger, more expensive repairs.

5. Only my shingles will need maintenance

A roof isn’t just shingles. Instead, there’s a whole system of roof parts that keep water out of your home, and each need to be inspected and may need maintenance. If one part of the roof isn’t working properly, the rest will soon be affected, and eventually, you’ll get a leak.