The Orange housing stock
Orange grew mostly between 1955 and 1985, so the typical roof is on a raised ranch, split level or center-hall colonial with a moderate 6 in 12 to 8 in 12 pitch and a single layer, or two layers where it was re-roofed once in the 1990s. Lots are large and heavily treed, with oak and maple over most houses.
Those trees define the roofing problems in town: shade that keeps north slopes damp and streaked with algae, leaf loads that pack gutters every fall, and limbs that come down in every nor'easter.
Algae, moss and shade
The dark streaks running down shaded slopes across Orange are algae, and the green patches at the eaves and around trees are moss. Algae is cosmetic; moss is not, because it holds water against the shingle and lifts the edges. Moss is removed by hand and treated, never pressure-washed, since pressure strips granules.
On a re-roof, algae-resistant shingles with copper granules are specified for any slope that stays shaded past midday. Zinc or copper strip below the ridge is a lower-cost option on an existing roof.
Gutters and ice dams
Clogged gutters are the start of most ice dam calls in Orange. Leaves fill the gutter, the first snow sits on top, and the eave becomes a freezer. Gutter guards that actually shed oak leaves and keep pine needles out are worth it here more than anywhere on the shoreline. Attic insulation and ventilation are checked on every inspection because the wooded lots keep roofs colder and dams last longer.
Tree damage
A limb through a roof is a structural check first: rafters, ridge board and the deck around the impact. Then the roof is tarped and the repair scoped. Where a tree has rubbed a slope for years, the shingles under the branch are usually bald and need replacing even if the branch has since been cut.
Permits in Orange
The Orange Building Department issues a permit for roof replacement and inspects at the stage it specifies. The process is comparable to Milford's and is handled as part of the job. Homeowners in Orange get the same written scope, deck photos and warranty registration as everywhere else in the service area.