Permit
Ask Lower Allen first
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 Lower Allen requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Lower Allen, PA
Lower Allen has 7,899 homes, and half of them were standing by 1976. 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 Lower Allen
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). 54% of Lower Allen’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
Lower Allen’s climate table decides
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). The contractor or the township code office in Lower Allen 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 Lower Allen
60% of the occupied homes in Lower Allen are lived in by their owners: 4,570 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 6% before 1940, 32% before 1960, 54% before 1980; 28% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 53% detached houses, 11% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
Of the 31 Cumberland County municipalities on this site, Lower Allen has the 13th largest share of homes built before 1980: 54%, against a county range of 24% to 93%.
ZIP codes: 17011
Lower Allen and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Allen | 1976 | 54% | 60% | 11% | 13 |
| Shiremanstown | 1956 | 92% | 66% | 25% | 13 |
| Camp Hill | 1953 | 93% | 78% | 3% | 17 |
| Lemoyne | 1949 | 85% | 55% | 26% | 19 |
| New Cumberland | 1953 | 91% | 70% | 14% | 18 |
| Upper Allen | 1988 | 36% | 74% | 28% | 12 |
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 Lower Allen
NOAA’s storm reports show 13 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Lower Allen, topping out at 1.75 in on June 3, 2023.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4267, March 2016) is the latest of 2 federal storm declarations covering Cumberland County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Lower Allen, 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; 53% 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 | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 6% 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 Lower Allen, 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 Lower Allen
Is a permit required for a new roof in Lower Allen, PA?
Ask Lower Allen first. 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 Lower Allen requires.
Is a roof-over allowed in Lower Allen, or is it 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). 54% of Lower Allen’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Lower Allen?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Lower Allen was built in 1976, 54% of homes were built before 1980, 60% are owner-occupied.
Does Lower Allen get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 13 days within 10 miles of Lower Allen 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 Lower Allen?
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 Lower Allen, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in Lower Allen, or at least the ZIP code
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- 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 Lower Allen
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.