Common Questions: short answers and where to look next
The questions readers search for first, answered briefly and sent on to whoever decides them: a policy, a town, a lender or a page with the detail.
Short answers, and whose rule decides each one
A short answer is only honest if it says whose rule decides the question. Some questions here have a rule we can cite, and we cite it. Others belong to your insurer, your town or your lender, and we will not write a rule for them. Each answer is brief, so where the detail matters the link goes to the page or source that holds it.
Where we cannot cite the rule, we tell you whose rule it is and send you there.
Where the questions stall a decision
Does a homeowners policy pay for ice dam work?
We have not found a source that settles this. Read your own policy, and ask the insurer in writing what it covers for the cause of your damage.
Does a re-roof need a town permit?
Massachusetts towns apply the state building code's general rule that altering or repairing a building needs a permit, with ordinary repairs exempt. The Dracut building department's permit page states that rule but does not say whether re-roofing, siding or windows count as ordinary repairs. Ask your own town's building department before the work starts, and get the answer in writing if the department will give one.
Can a Mass Save loan pay for new windows?
The Mass Save HEAT Loan offers 0 percent interest, up to $25,000, according to Mass Save's own financing page. It covers ENERGY STAR replacement windows only together with completed weatherization recommendations, and a Home Energy Assessment is mandatory first. It does not list roofing, siding or decks.
How long does an asphalt roof last?
A basic three-tab asphalt shingle roof needs replacing about every 20 years, according to a 2010 Fine Homebuilding article on asphalt roof life. The same article says modern shingles are marketed at 40 to 50 years or more, but it offers no field data for that claim. Its lifetime warranty is prorated after 10 years, so read the warranty of the product you buy.
Are replacement windows worth the money?
The answer depends on the windows you have and the label on the ones you would buy. A window's label tells you which climates it was certified for, so the label matters as much as the frame. For the detail on comparing U-factor and SHGC ratings and reading a window contract, see ENERGY STAR's tips for buying replacement windows.
Three figures behind the answers
- $75
- per single-pane window replaced with ENERGY STAR Most Efficient windows, for purchases through December 31, 2026
- One-third
- the most a Massachusetts home improvement contract may ask as a deposit, with an exception for certain special-order materials
- $35,701
- the 2025 average job cost of an asphalt shingle roof replacement in New England, a regional average and not a quote
Sources: the $75 rebate is from Mass Save's windows rebate page, which excludes double-pane replacements. The deposit limit is from General Laws, Chapter 142A, Section 2. The roof figure is from the Journal of Light Construction's 2025 Cost vs. Value report for New England.
Before you sign, read the written contract
Several of the questions above end at a contract, so that is where to check them. For an owner-occupied home of one to four units, the contract has to be in writing, carry the contractor's registration number and show a scheduled completion date. Its deposit has to stay within the one-third limit in the figures above. If any of those is missing, ask for it to be corrected before work starts, not after.
