Permit
Ask Butler Township first
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the township code office in Butler Township is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Butler Township, Luzerne County, PA
The median home in Butler Township was built in 1991; there are 3,919 of them. What the code requires when that roof is replaced, and who signs off, is below.
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 Butler Township
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 36% of Butler Township’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Ice barrier
Butler Township’s climate table decides
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 Butler Township will know.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Butler Township
86% of the occupied homes in Butler Township are lived in by their owners: 3,100 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 8% before 1940, 22% before 1960, 36% before 1980; 34% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 81% detached houses, 9% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
34% of homes here were built in 2000 or later. HUD’s useful-life table gives an asphalt-shingle roof 20 years, so roofs on houses from the early 2000s are reaching that age.
Of the 63 Luzerne County municipalities on this site, Butler Township has the 62nd largest share of homes built before 1980: 36%, against a county range of 19% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 18222
Butler Township and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler Township, Luzerne County | 1991 | 36% | 86% | 9% | 7 |
| Freeland | 1938 | 91% | 50% | 36% | 7 |
| Dorrance | 1981 | 48% | 93% | 0% | 6 |
| West Hazleton | 1950 | 86% | 56% | 26% | 8 |
| Conyngham Borough | 1966 | 85% | 75% | 6% | 8 |
| Hazle | 1971 | 66% | 80% | 23% | 8 |
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.
Storm record around Butler Township
Within 10 miles of Butler Township, hail of an inch or more was reported on 7 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on August 17, 2007. The most recent was June 26, 2024.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
Remnants of Hurricane Ida (DR-4618, September 2021) is the latest of 4 federal storm declarations covering Luzerne County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Butler Township, not that it damaged a 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; 81% 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 | Low pitches and long runs | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 8% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Butler Township, 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).
The price side is in what a new roof costs in Pennsylvania; the paperwork side in checking a roofing contractor.
Questions about a new roof in Butler Township
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Butler Township?
Ask Butler Township first. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the township code office in Butler Township is the one to ask before work starts.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Butler Township?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 36% of Butler Township’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Butler Township?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Butler Township was built in 1991, 36% of homes were built before 1980, 86% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Butler Township?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 7 days within 10 miles of Butler Township from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
How do I check a roofing contractor in Butler Township?
Before signing for a roof in Butler Township, 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 Butler Township
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Butler Township
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.