Permit
Ask Hanover Township first
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 Hanover Township requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, PA
Hanover Township has 877 homes, and half of them were standing by 1973. 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 Hanover Township
Layers
Two layers means a tear-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). With 76% of Hanover Township’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). Ask the township code office or the contractor what Hanover Township’s says.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Hanover Township
59% of the occupied homes in Hanover Township are lived in by their owners: 507 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 16% before 1960, 76% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 8% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 41% detached houses, 18% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 9% buildings of two to four units, 11% manufactured homes.
Of the 25 Lehigh County municipalities on this site, Hanover Township has the 8th largest share of homes built before 1980: 76%, against a county range of 22% to 90%.
ZIP codes: 18109
Hanover Township and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanover Township, Lehigh County | 1973 | 76% | 59% | 18% | 23 |
| Catasauqua | 1938 | 87% | 74% | 37% | 24 |
| North Catasauqua | 1951 | 83% | 78% | 20% | 24 |
| Hanover Township, Northampton County | 1991 | 32% | 83% | 11% | 23 |
| Coplay | 1956 | 73% | 64% | 39% | 25 |
| Whitehall | 1967 | 70% | 62% | 19% | 24 |
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 Hanover Township
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 23 separate days within 10 miles of Hanover Township; the largest was 2 in on August 17, 2007. The most recent was July 3, 2025.
That is more hail days than 98% of the places in the state on this site.
Lehigh County has had 2 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was DR-4267, Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (March 2016). (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 Hanover Township’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; 41% 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 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| 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 Hanover Township, 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 Hanover Township
Is a permit required for a new roof in Hanover Township, PA?
Ask Hanover Township first. 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 Hanover Township requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Hanover Township?
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). With 76% of Hanover Township’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
When were most homes in Hanover Township built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Hanover Township was built in 1973, 76% of homes were built before 1980, 59% are owner-occupied.
Does Hanover Township get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 23 days within 10 miles of Hanover Township 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 Hanover Township have?
Before signing for a roof in Hanover Township, 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 Hanover Township, or at least the ZIP code
- 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 own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.