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 Lake Township requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Lake Township, Wayne County, PA
Half of the 3,791 homes in Lake Township were built before 1985. 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 Lake 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). 32% of Lake Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Lake Township’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. Ask the township code office or the contractor what Lake Township’s says.
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 Lake Township
Of 1,907 occupied homes in Lake Township, 1,606 (84%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 11% before 1940, 15% before 1960, 32% before 1980; 17% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 95% detached houses.
49% of the homes in Lake Township are seasonal or occasional-use homes (ACS 2020–2024). If yours is one of them and you live elsewhere, the call still has to come from you as the owner.
Of the 18 Wayne County municipalities on this site, Lake Township has the 17th largest share of homes built before 1980: 32%, against a county range of 29% to 80%.
ZIP codes: 18436
Lake Township and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Township, Wayne County | 1985 | 32% | 84% | 0% | 7 |
| South Canaan | 1978 | 53% | 80% | 1% | 9 |
| Salem Township, Wayne County | 1983 | 44% | 79% | 0% | 10 |
| Jefferson Township, Lackawanna County | 1978 | 56% | 90% | 0% | 16 |
| Paupack | 1981 | 47% | 91% | 1% | 14 |
| Cherry Ridge | 1978 | 56% | 78% | 1% | 9 |
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 Lake Township
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 7 separate days within 10 miles of Lake Township; the largest was 1.25 in on June 10, 2008. The most recent was July 13, 2023.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
Tropical Storm Debby (DR-4815, September 2024) is the latest of 5 federal storm declarations covering Wayne County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Lake 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; 95% 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; 11% 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
Pennsylvania’s home improvement law (HICPA § 3, § 6) requires registration with the Attorney General from $5,000 a year of such work and puts the number on every estimate; ask for it in Lake Township and look it up.
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 Lake Township
Does a roof replacement in Lake Township need a 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 Lake Township requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Lake Township?
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). 32% of Lake Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Lake Township?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Lake Township was built in 1985, 32% of homes were built before 1980, 84% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Lake Township?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 7 days within 10 miles of Lake 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 Lake Township?
Pennsylvania’s home improvement law (HICPA § 3, § 6) requires registration with the Attorney General from $5,000 a year of such work and puts the number on every estimate; ask for it in Lake Township and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Lake 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
- 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 Lake Township
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.