Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The borough code office can say what Archbald requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Archbald, PA
Archbald has 3,422 homes, and half of them were standing by 1970. Below: what the code asks of a replacement here, the permit, and the town’s own records.
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 Archbald
Layers
No third layer
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 59% of Archbald’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
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 borough code office in Archbald will know.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Archbald
Owners live in 2,375 of Archbald’s occupied homes, or 76%. Counting by decade, 27% before 1940, 43% before 1960, 59% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 14% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 83% detached houses, 7% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
Of the 34 Lackawanna County municipalities on this site, Archbald has the 22nd largest share of homes built before 1980: 59%, against a county range of 42% to 88%.
ZIP codes: 18403
Archbald and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archbald | 1970 | 59% | 76% | 7% | 16 |
| Jermyn | 1952 | 82% | 77% | 6% | 17 |
| Mayfield | 1944 | 78% | 81% | 1% | 18 |
| Blakely | 1945 | 83% | 68% | 3% | 15 |
| Jessup | 1958 | 72% | 69% | 7% | 17 |
| Carbondale Township | 1979 | 52% | 71% | 0% | 15 |
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 Archbald
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 16 separate days within 10 miles of Archbald; the largest was 1.75 in on June 9, 2011. The most recent was April 30, 2024.
At the county level, Archbald shares Lackawanna County’s record of 3 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4408 (Severe Storms and Flooding, November 2018). (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; 83% 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; 27% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Archbald, 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 Archbald
Is a permit required for a new roof in Archbald, PA?
Local ordinance, not the state. Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The borough code office can say what Archbald requires.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Archbald?
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 59% of Archbald’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Archbald built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Archbald was built in 1970, 59% of homes were built before 1980, 76% are owner-occupied.
Does Archbald get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 16 days within 10 miles of Archbald 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 Archbald have?
Before signing for a roof in Archbald, 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 Archbald
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.