Asphalt Shingle Roofing in Bath, Maine

Census estimates put Bath's median home built around 1938, with about 58 percent of the housing predating 1940 and roughly 67 percent predating 1960, the oldest housing profile of any town in this service area. Bath's sea-captains' houses and worker cottages from the height of the Bath Iron Works and wooden shipbuilding era make up a large share of the city's stock, many carrying original wood clapboard behind one or more later layers of siding. Outside the historic core, Bath's newer neighborhoods, built through the mid-to-late 20th century, hold a smaller share of more ordinary capes and ranches.

The tidal Kennebec River runs directly past downtown Bath, and river weather, wind, fog and occasional storm surge, affects houses close to the water more than those set back on higher ground. Winters bring the usual Maine freeze-thaw cycling and a real snow load, and Bath's older, less-insulated 19th-century housing is especially prone to ice damming at the eaves during a hard winter. Bath sits a few miles up the Kennebec from open water, so it takes less direct ocean salt spray than a town right on the Atlantic, but river humidity and wind still matter for exterior materials, especially near the waterfront and Bath Iron Works.

Building permits in Bath go through the Code Enforcement Office at 55 Front Street, covering siding, roofing, window and deck work for the whole city. Because so much of Bath's core falls within the Bath Historic District, exterior modifications to buildings inside the district require Planning Board review, though the city notes that review is often completed administratively within about three days rather than requiring a full public hearing. Part of Bath's sewer system uses combined sewers that can overflow during heavy rain, a factor mainly relevant to site and drainage work rather than siding, roofing, window or deck permitting directly, but it does mean the city pays close attention to stormwater management on any project that changes how water sheds off a property.

Architectural (dimensional) asphalt shingles are the most common roof in Maine for good reason: they are affordable, they come in many colors and textures, and a good system handles snow, ice and wind well. Several projects on this site used CertainTeed Landmark shingles. What separates a long-lived shingle roof from a short-lived one is mostly underneath: ice and water protection at the eaves, correct nailing, and balanced ventilation.

• Tear-off to the deck and sheathing repair where needed.
• Ice and water shield at eaves, valleys and around penetrations; underlayment over the rest.
• Starter strip and drip edge at the edges, then shingles nailed in the manufacturer's nail zone.
• Step flashing at walls, new pipe boots, and chimney flashing as needed.
• Hip and ridge caps over a ridge vent, balanced with intake at the soffits.

• Granules washing into the gutters and bald patches on the shingles
• Shingles that curl, cup, or lift in wind
• Leaks around chimneys, vents or skylights
• Moss or dark streaking on shaded slopes

• Roof area and pitch
• Shingle line and color
• Layers to tear off and deck repairs
• Flashing and ventilation work
• Number of valleys, dormers and penetrations

Every job is priced from a free on-site visit. Typical ranges for the trade are on our roofing page, and the details of this service are on the architectural asphalt shingle roofing overview.

For a deeper walkthrough of materials, code details and photos, see our full Asphalt Shingle Roofing: Underlayment, Shingle Types, and What Voids a Warranty guide.

Back to the Bath exterior services overview, or see every town on our service areas page.