Permit
Clarks Green’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 Clarks Green is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Clarks Green, PA
The median home in Clarks Green was built in 1959; there are 713 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 Clarks Green
Layers
No third layer
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 77% of Clarks Green’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Ice barrier
Clarks Green’s climate table decides
IRC R905.1.2 calls for an ice barrier where Table R301.2 says so; in Pennsylvania the municipality completes that table. Clarks Green’s answer is with the borough code office.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Clarks Green
92% of the occupied homes in Clarks Green are lived in by their owners: 590 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 24% before 1940, 51% before 1960, 77% before 1980; 3% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 94% detached houses.
Of the 34 Lackawanna County municipalities on this site, Clarks Green has the 11th largest share of homes built before 1980: 77%, against a county range of 42% to 88%.
Clarks Green and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarks Green | 1959 | 77% | 92% | 2% | 15 |
| South Abington | 1984 | 43% | 74% | 11% | 15 |
| Clarks Summit | 1966 | 75% | 73% | 3% | 16 |
| Waverly | 1964 | 68% | 97% | 1% | 13 |
| Glenburn | 1979 | 52% | 76% | 1% | 12 |
| Dalton | 1962 | 68% | 86% | 8% | 12 |
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 Clarks Green
NOAA’s storm reports show 15 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Clarks Green, topping out at 2.75 in on May 28, 2019. The most recent was April 30, 2024.
Severe Storms and Flooding (DR-4408, November 2018) is the latest of 3 federal storm declarations covering Lackawanna County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Clarks Green, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
Useful life is HUD’s planning figure, not a warranty. 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; 94% 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 | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 24% 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
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 Clarks Green and look it up.
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 Clarks Green
Does a roof replacement in Clarks Green need a permit?
Clarks Green’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 Clarks Green is the one to ask before work starts.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Clarks Green?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 77% of Clarks Green’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Clarks Green?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Clarks Green was built in 1959, 77% of homes were built before 1980, 92% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Clarks Green?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 15 days within 10 miles of Clarks Green 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 Clarks Green?
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 Clarks Green and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Clarks Green
- 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
- How many layers are on it, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Clarks Green
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.