Permit
Ask Glenolden first
Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The borough code office can say what Glenolden requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Glenolden, PA
The median home in Glenolden was built in 1954; there are 2,856 of them. 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 Glenolden
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. 88% of Glenolden’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
Glenolden’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. Ask the borough code office or the contractor what Glenolden’s says.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Glenolden
Owners live in 2,104 of Glenolden’s occupied homes, or 77%. By year built, 21% before 1940, 65% before 1960, 88% before 1980; 2% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 40% detached houses, 29% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 12% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 48 Delaware County municipalities on this site, Glenolden has the 21st largest share of homes built before 1980: 88%, against a county range of 20% to 98%.
ZIP codes: 19036
Glenolden and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenolden | 1954 | 88% | 77% | 29% | 17 |
| Norwood | 1951 | 89% | 76% | 39% | 17 |
| Folcroft | 1960 | 93% | 68% | 78% | 17 |
| Prospect Park | 1949 | 86% | 58% | 27% | 18 |
| Collingdale | 1951 | 92% | 58% | 57% | 15 |
| Sharon Hill | 1954 | 83% | 58% | 63% | 15 |
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 Glenolden
NOAA’s storm reports show 17 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Glenolden, topping out at 1.75 in on June 24, 2010. The most recent was April 4, 2025.
That is more hail days than 79% of the places in the state on this site.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Delaware County since 2006: 3, most recently DR-4618, Remnants of Hurricane Ida, declared September 2021. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Glenolden, 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; 40% 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 | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 21% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (29% 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 Glenolden 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 Glenolden
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Glenolden?
Ask Glenolden first. Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The borough code office can say what Glenolden requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Glenolden?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 88% of Glenolden’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Glenolden?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Glenolden was built in 1954, 88% of homes were built before 1980, 77% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Glenolden?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 17 days within 10 miles of Glenolden 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 Glenolden?
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 Glenolden and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Glenolden
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- 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 Glenolden
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.