Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Jenkins requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Jenkins, PA
Jenkins has 2,209 homes, and half of them were standing by 1981. 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 Jenkins
Layers
No third layer
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). 47% of Jenkins’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Jenkins’s climate table decides
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 Jenkins will know.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Jenkins
Of 2,007 occupied homes in Jenkins, 1,211 (60%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 21% before 1940, 34% before 1960, 47% before 1980; 26% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 62% detached houses, 12% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 17% manufactured homes.
Of the 63 Luzerne County municipalities on this site, Jenkins has the 57th largest share of homes built before 1980: 47%, against a county range of 19% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 18640
Jenkins and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jenkins | 1981 | 47% | 60% | 12% | 18 |
| Pittston Township | 1975 | 56% | 83% | 8% | 18 |
| Dupont | 1948 | 89% | 66% | 5% | 19 |
| Laflin | 1975 | 72% | 90% | 21% | 17 |
| Hughestown | 1955 | 86% | 71% | 6% | 19 |
| Avoca | 1938 | 84% | 72% | 4% | 19 |
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 Jenkins
NOAA’s storm reports show 18 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Jenkins, topping out at 1.75 in on February 25, 2017. The most recent was July 1, 2022.
That is more hail days than 85% of the places in the state on this site.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Luzerne County since 2006: 4, most recently DR-4618, Remnants of Hurricane Ida, declared September 2021. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Jenkins, 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; 62% 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; 21% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| 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 Jenkins, 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 Jenkins
Is a permit required for a new roof in Jenkins, PA?
Local ordinance, not the state. Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Jenkins requires.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Jenkins?
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). 47% of Jenkins’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Jenkins?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Jenkins was built in 1981, 47% of homes were built before 1980, 60% are owner-occupied.
Does Jenkins get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 18 days within 10 miles of Jenkins 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 Jenkins?
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 Jenkins, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Jenkins
- 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 Jenkins
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.