Permit
Ask Jessup first
Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. So the borough code office in Jessup is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Jessup, PA
The median home in Jessup was built in 1958; there are 2,219 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 Jessup
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 72% of Jessup’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
Jessup’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 borough code office in Jessup will know.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Jessup
Of 1,974 occupied homes in Jessup, 1,369 (69%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 31% before 1940, 52% before 1960, 72% before 1980; 19% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 70% detached houses, 7% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 19% buildings of two to four units.
On a house built before 1940, ask what the deck is (boards or plywood) and whether slate sits under the later layers: slate can’t be roofed over.
Of the 34 Lackawanna County municipalities on this site, Jessup has the 13th largest share of homes built before 1980: 72%, against a county range of 42% to 88%.
ZIP codes: 18434
Jessup and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jessup | 1958 | 72% | 69% | 7% | 17 |
| Olyphant | 1958 | 68% | 69% | 5% | 16 |
| Jefferson Township, Lackawanna County | 1978 | 56% | 90% | 0% | 16 |
| Throop | 1948 | 84% | 79% | 5% | 17 |
| Archbald | 1970 | 59% | 76% | 7% | 16 |
| Blakely | 1945 | 83% | 68% | 3% | 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 Jessup
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 17 separate days within 10 miles of Jessup; the largest was 1.75 in on June 9, 2011. The most recent was April 30, 2024.
That is more hail days than 79% of the places in the state on this site.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Lackawanna County since 2006: 3, most recently DR-4408, Severe Storms and Flooding, declared November 2018. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Jessup, not that it damaged a 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 Jessup’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; 70% 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; 31% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Coating is not a replacement |
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 Jessup, 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 Jessup
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Jessup?
Ask Jessup first. Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. So the borough code office in Jessup is the one to ask before work starts.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Jessup?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 72% of Jessup’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Jessup?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Jessup was built in 1958, 72% of homes were built before 1980, 69% are owner-occupied.
Does Jessup get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 17 days within 10 miles of Jessup 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 Jessup?
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 Jessup, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in Jessup, 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 Jessup
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.