Asphalt Shingle Roofing in Harrison, Maine

Architectural asphalt shingles are the default roof on most Harrison houses, from ranches built in the 1960s and 1970s to the newer homes around the lakes, because they are affordable, familiar, and quick to install in a short building season. The dimensional look also sits well on an older cape, where a flat three-tab shingle can look thin.

Choose a shingle rated for high wind if the house faces open water on Long Lake, and have it installed with the manufacturer's full nailing pattern, since a lakeside roof sees gusts that inland lots never feel. The building code that Maine adopts calls for an ice barrier at the eaves wherever ice damming is a known problem, and in Harrison that means extending it well up from the edge, plus lining valleys and the joints around dormers and skylights. Shaded roofs under tall pines grow algae and moss, so an algae-resistant granule option and a plan to keep branches trimmed help the roof reach its expected life. A tear-off rather than a second layer lets the installer see the deck and keeps weight down under heavy snow. For many year-round families, a well-installed architectural shingle roof is the best value per year of service.

Census estimates count about 1,800 housing units in Harrison, with a median year built of 1980. Roughly 20 percent went up before 1940 and about 26 percent before 1960, another 24 percent date from 1960 to 1979, and about 26 percent were built in 2000 or later. Close to 89 percent are single-family detached houses, and about 90 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied. Nearly 500 units, a bit more than a quarter of the stock, are held for seasonal or recreational use, mostly camps and cottages on the lakes. In practice that means three kinds of houses: 19th-century capes and connected farmhouses in and around the villages, modest ranches and camps from the postwar decades, and larger year-round homes and rebuilt lake houses from the last 25 years. Many older camps have been winterized and added onto in stages.

Harrison is inland lake country, well away from salt air, so cold and snow do the damage here. The closest National Weather Service normals come from the forecast office in Gray, which records about 84 inches of snow a year for 1991 to 2020, and Harrison sits farther north and inland still. Winters bring long stretches below freezing broken by thaws, which is the cycle that drives ice dams and splits old paint and caulk. Long Lake runs about 12 miles from end to end, so homes on the shore face wind that builds over open water. Lots set back in the woods have the opposite problem: shade and damp that keep siding, roof valleys and deck boards wet long after a storm.

Building permits come from the Harrison Code Enforcement Department at the Town Office on Front Street, whose officer is also the shoreland zoning administrator. The town Building Permit Requirements Ordinance requires a permit before anyone builds, modifies or adds to a structure, and names only routine minor maintenance, such as painting, as exempt, so ask the office before a residing or re-roofing job. The officer has 30 days to act on a complete application, and a permit lapses after a year without a substantial start. Inspections are booked 24 hours ahead. Near the lakes, the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance sets a 100-foot setback for new structures from great ponds.

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.

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