Permit
Albany’s ordinance decides
Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The township code office can say what Albany requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Albany, PA
Half of the 683 homes in Albany were built before 1950. The rules below decide how much of the old roof has to come off and what goes under the new one.
New Roofing Costs connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work.
Call (833) 781-1806 Replacement and new roofs only · homeowners
This number connects homeowners who are planning a new roof or a full roof replacement with independent local roofing contractors. It is not for leak repairs or patch jobs. The call must come from the homeowner who decides on the roof. Calls may be recorded.
The rules for a reroof in Albany
Layers
No third layer
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 68% of Albany’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
Whether an eave membrane is a code item depends on the climate table the municipality filled in when it adopted the code (IRC R905.1.2, Table R301.2). The contractor or the township code office in Albany will know.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Albany
Of 601 occupied homes in Albany, 494 (82%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 47% before 1940, 54% before 1960, 68% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 15% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 89% detached houses, 5% manufactured homes.
Older houses hide their history: ask the contractor to confirm the deck (board or sheet) and every layer above it before pricing, because slate or two layers mean a full tear-off.
Of the 67 Berks County municipalities on this site, Albany has the 16th largest share of homes built before 1980: 68%, against a county range of 18% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 19529
Albany and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | 1950 | 68% | 82% | 1% | 2 |
| East Brunswick | 1986 | 44% | 89% | 2% | 3 |
| Windsor Township, Berks County | 1986 | 45% | 86% | 4% | 4 |
| Hamburg | 1965 | 69% | 66% | 29% | 4 |
| Greenwich | 1983 | 44% | 88% | 4% | 9 |
| Lynn | 1980 | 50% | 83% | 8% | 5 |
Median built: median year the homes were built. Before 1980: share of homes built then. Owners: share of homes that are owner-occupied. Row, twin: share of homes that are rowhouses, twins or townhouses. Census ACS 2020–2024. Hail days: days with hail of 1 inch or larger within 10 miles, 2006–2025, NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Hail and storms near Albany
Within 10 miles of Albany, hail of an inch or more was reported on 2 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2.5 in on May 14, 2010.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
At the county level, Albany shares Berks County’s record of 2 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4267 (Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm, March 2016). (OpenFEMA.)
Storm reports are what observers logged, not a measure of damage to any roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
Lifespans come from HUD’s capital-needs table, not from a brochure. More in the guides to shingles, metal, slate and flat roofs.
| Material | HUD useful life | Fits a house like | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | 20 years | Most pitched roofs; 89% of homes here are detached | Wind class set by the design wind speed (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Roofs that will carry solar later | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 47% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Albany, get the contractor’s PA registration number: the home improvement law requires registration with the Attorney General above $5,000 a year of such work, and the number on contracts and estimates (HICPA § 3, § 6).
Contracts, deposits and the right to cancel: checking a roofing contractor. What moves the price: new roof cost in Pennsylvania.
Questions about a new roof in Albany
Is a permit required for a new roof in Albany, PA?
Albany’s ordinance decides. Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The township code office can say what Albany requires.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Albany?
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 68% of Albany’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Albany built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Albany was built in 1950, 68% of homes were built before 1980, 82% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Albany?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 2 days within 10 miles of Albany from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
What license or registration should a roofer in Albany have?
Before signing for a roof in Albany, get the contractor’s PA registration number: the home improvement law requires registration with the Attorney General above $5,000 a year of such work, and the number on contracts and estimates (HICPA § 3, § 6).
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Albany
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- How many layers are on it, if you know
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.