Permit
Ask Clifton first
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 Clifton requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Clifton, PA
The median home in Clifton was built in 1984; there are 1,307 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 Clifton
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 44% of Clifton’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
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 Clifton 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 Clifton
Of 540 occupied homes in Clifton, 458 (85%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 14% before 1960, 44% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 16% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 89% detached houses, 9% manufactured homes.
54% of the homes in Clifton are seasonal or occasional-use homes (ACS 2020–2024). If yours is one of them and you live elsewhere, the call still has to come from you as the owner.
Of the 34 Lackawanna County municipalities on this site, Clifton has the 32nd largest share of homes built before 1980: 44%, against a county range of 42% to 88%.
ZIP codes: 18424
Clifton and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton | 1984 | 44% | 85% | 0% | 2 |
| Covington | 1979 | 53% | 91% | 1% | 5 |
| Coolbaugh | 1987 | 28% | 81% | 5% | 4 |
| Moscow | 1981 | 48% | 79% | 2% | 10 |
| Spring Brook | 1979 | 51% | 86% | 1% | 15 |
| Lehigh Township, Wayne County | 1983 | 43% | 91% | 0% | 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 Clifton
Within 10 miles of Clifton, hail of an inch or more was reported on 2 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on August 19, 2011.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
At the county level, Clifton 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
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Clifton’s houses: 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 and historic houses | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
A contractor who does $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract and estimate (HICPA § 3, § 6). Ask for it before anyone starts on a roof in Clifton, and search it.
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 Clifton
Does a roof replacement in Clifton need a permit?
Ask Clifton first. 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 Clifton requires.
Is a roof-over allowed in Clifton, or is it 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 44% of Clifton’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
When were most homes in Clifton built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Clifton was built in 1984, 44% of homes were built before 1980, 85% are owner-occupied.
Does Clifton get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 2 days within 10 miles of Clifton 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 Clifton have?
A contractor who does $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract and estimate (HICPA § 3, § 6). Ask for it before anyone starts on a roof in Clifton, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Clifton
- 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.