Greenwood has 806 homes, and half of them were standing by 1971. 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.
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 Greenwood
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)). Whether Greenwood wants a permit is in its own ordinance; ask the township code office before the old roof comes off.
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 66% of Greenwood’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
The code requires an ice barrier where the local climate table (Table R301.2) says so, and each Pennsylvania municipality fills that table in. The contractor or the township code office in Greenwood will know.
Of 714 occupied homes in Greenwood, 574 (80%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 29% before 1940, 45% before 1960, 66% before 1980; 14% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 82% detached houses, 13% manufactured homes.
Of the 22 Columbia County municipalities on this site, Greenwood has the 7th largest share of homes built before 1980: 66%, against a county range of 42% to 93%.
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 Greenwood
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 3 separate days within 10 miles of Greenwood; the largest was 1 in on June 26, 2024.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Columbia County since 2006: 2, most recently DR-4408, Severe Storms and Flooding, declared November 2018. (OpenFEMA.)
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; 82% 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; 29% here predate 1940
Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy
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 Greenwood, 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).
Is a permit required for a new roof in Greenwood, PA?
Local ordinance, not the state. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). Whether Greenwood wants a permit is in its own ordinance; ask the township code office before the old roof comes off.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Greenwood?
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 66% of Greenwood’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Greenwood?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Greenwood was built in 1971, 66% of homes were built before 1980, 80% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Greenwood had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 3 days within 10 miles of Greenwood 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 Greenwood?
Before signing for a roof in Greenwood, 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
The street address in Greenwood, or at least the ZIP code
One story or two (or more), detached or attached
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 you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Greenwood