Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what East Union requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in East Union, PA
The median home in East Union was built in 1966; there are 888 of them. The rules below decide how much of the old roof has to come off and what goes under the new one.
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 East Union
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. 57% of East Union’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
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. East Union’s answer is with the township code office.
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 East Union
Owners live in 676 of East Union’s occupied homes, or 91%. Counting by decade, 40% before 1940, 48% before 1960, 57% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 29% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 76% detached houses, 18% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 3% manufactured homes.
Older houses hide their history: ask the contractor to confirm the deck (board or sheet) and every layer above it before pricing, because slate or two layers mean a full tear-off.
Of the 41 Schuylkill County municipalities on this site, East Union has the 35th largest share of homes built before 1980: 57%, against a county range of 42% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 17967 · 18237 · 18242 · 18248
East Union and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Union | 1966 | 57% | 91% | 18% | 7 |
| Kline | 1955 | 86% | 87% | 9% | 8 |
| North Union | 1978 | 53% | 93% | 2% | 4 |
| Mahanoy | 1938 | 90% | 94% | 53% | 5 |
| Mahanoy City | 1938 | 94% | 57% | 68% | 5 |
| Black Creek | 1972 | 61% | 92% | 7% | 6 |
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 East Union
Within 10 miles of East Union, 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 July 3, 2025.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
Schuylkill County has had 5 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was 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; 76% 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 | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 40% 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 (18% of homes here are attached) | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in East Union, 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 East Union
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in East Union?
Local ordinance, not the state. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what East Union requires.
Is a roof-over allowed in East Union, 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. 57% of East Union’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in East Union built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in East Union was built in 1966, 57% of homes were built before 1980, 91% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has East Union had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 7 days within 10 miles of East Union 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 East Union have?
Before signing for a roof in East Union, 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
- Where the house is: the East Union address or ZIP
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
- 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 the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.