Permit
Atglen’s ordinance decides
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the borough code office in Atglen is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Atglen, PA
Atglen has 400 homes, and half of them were standing by 1992. 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 Atglen
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
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). 35% of Atglen’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
The code requires an ice barrier where the local climate table (Table R301.2) says so, and each Pennsylvania municipality fills that table in. Ask the borough code office or the contractor what Atglen’s says.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Atglen
Owners live in 325 of Atglen’s occupied homes, or 83%. Counting by decade, 20% before 1940, 28% before 1960, 35% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 22% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 77% detached houses, 16% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 7% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 71 Chester County municipalities on this site, Atglen has the 49th largest share of homes built before 1980: 35%, against a county range of 12% to 80%.
Atglen and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atglen | 1992 | 35% | 83% | 16% | 9 |
| West Sadsbury | 1978 | 53% | 86% | 3% | 9 |
| Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County | 1985 | 40% | 69% | 6% | 8 |
| Parkesburg | 1982 | 48% | 60% | 21% | 10 |
| West Fallowfield | 1978 | 53% | 78% | 0% | 10 |
| Sadsbury Township, Chester County | 1996 | 38% | 85% | 11% | 10 |
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 Atglen
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 9 separate days within 10 miles of Atglen; the largest was 1.75 in on June 9, 2009. The most recent was September 7, 2023.
At the county level, Atglen shares Chester County’s record of 5 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4618 (Remnants of Hurricane Ida, September 2021). (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; 77% 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 | Simple roofs with long, unbroken slopes | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 20% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (16% of homes here are attached) | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s home improvement law (HICPA § 3, § 6) requires registration with the Attorney General from $5,000 a year of such work and puts the number on every estimate; ask for it in Atglen and look it up.
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 Atglen
Does a roof replacement in Atglen need a permit?
Atglen’s ordinance decides. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the borough code office in Atglen is the one to ask before work starts.
Is a roof-over allowed in Atglen, or is it a tear-off?
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). 35% of Atglen’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Atglen built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Atglen was built in 1992, 35% of homes were built before 1980, 83% are owner-occupied.
Does Atglen get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 9 days within 10 miles of Atglen 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 Atglen have?
Pennsylvania’s home improvement law (HICPA § 3, § 6) requires registration with the Attorney General from $5,000 a year of such work and puts the number on every estimate; ask for it in Atglen and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Atglen address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- 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.