Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
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 Hamilton Township requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Hamilton Township, Franklin County, PA
Half of the 4,605 homes in Hamilton Township were built before 1988. 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 Hamilton Township
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 41% of Hamilton Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Hamilton Township’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. Hamilton Township’s answer is with the township code office.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Hamilton Township
Of 4,529 occupied homes in Hamilton Township, 3,862 (85%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 7% before 1940, 18% before 1960, 41% before 1980; 31% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 83% detached houses, 4% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 6% manufactured homes.
31% of homes here were built in 2000 or later. HUD’s useful-life table gives an asphalt-shingle roof 20 years, so roofs on houses from the early 2000s are reaching that age.
Of the 20 Franklin County municipalities on this site, Hamilton Township has the 18th largest share of homes built before 1980: 41%, against a county range of 38% to 80%.
ZIP codes: 17202
Hamilton Township and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Township, Franklin County | 1988 | 41% | 85% | 4% | 9 |
| St. Thomas | 1976 | 60% | 84% | 0% | 7 |
| Chambersburg | 1963 | 64% | 43% | 29% | 9 |
| Letterkenny | 1974 | 61% | 86% | 2% | 8 |
| Guilford | 1982 | 47% | 81% | 9% | 11 |
| Antrim | 1985 | 46% | 89% | 8% | 14 |
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 Hamilton Township
NOAA’s storm reports show 9 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Hamilton Township, topping out at 1.75 in on August 7, 2023.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4267, March 2016) is the latest of 4 federal storm declarations covering Franklin County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Hamilton Township, 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; 83% 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; 7% 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
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 Hamilton Township, and search it.
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 Hamilton Township
Is a permit required for a new roof in Hamilton Township, PA?
Local ordinance, not the state. 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 Hamilton Township requires.
Is a roof-over allowed in Hamilton Township, or is it a tear-off?
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 41% of Hamilton Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Hamilton Township?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Hamilton Township was built in 1988, 41% of homes were built before 1980, 85% are owner-occupied.
Does Hamilton Township get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 9 days within 10 miles of Hamilton Township 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 Hamilton Township?
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 Hamilton Township, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Hamilton Township address or ZIP
- 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
- 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 Hamilton Township
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.