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 Lower Salford requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Lower Salford, PA
Lower Salford has 6,330 homes, and half of them were standing by 1986. 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 Salford
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). 37% of Lower Salford’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
IRC R905.1.2 calls for an ice barrier where Table R301.2 says so; in Pennsylvania the municipality completes that table. Lower Salford’s answer is with the township code office.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Lower Salford
73% of the occupied homes in Lower Salford are lived in by their owners: 4,515 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 9% before 1940, 15% before 1960, 37% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 23% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 63% detached houses, 17% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 6% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 61 Montgomery County municipalities on this site, Lower Salford has the 51st largest share of homes built before 1980: 37%, against a county range of 17% to 98%.
ZIP codes: 19438
Lower Salford and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Salford | 1986 | 37% | 73% | 17% | 17 |
| Towamencin | 1980 | 50% | 66% | 22% | 17 |
| Franconia | 1987 | 45% | 83% | 23% | 14 |
| Skippack | 1996 | 28% | 95% | 17% | 19 |
| Upper Salford | 1979 | 50% | 92% | 3% | 17 |
| Schwenksville | 1969 | 77% | 58% | 13% | 20 |
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 Lower Salford
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 17 separate days within 10 miles of Lower Salford; the largest was 1.75 in on August 26, 2006. The most recent was August 18, 2024.
That is more hail days than 79% of the places in the state on this site.
At the county level, Lower Salford shares Montgomery County’s record of 6 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4618 (Remnants of Hurricane Ida, September 2021). (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 Lower Salford’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; 63% 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 | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 9% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (17% of homes here are attached) | 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 Salford, and search it.
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 Lower Salford
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Lower Salford?
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 Lower Salford requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Lower Salford?
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). 37% of Lower Salford’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Lower Salford built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Lower Salford was built in 1986, 37% of homes were built before 1980, 73% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Lower Salford had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 17 days within 10 miles of Lower Salford 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 Lower Salford have?
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 Salford, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Lower Salford
- 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 are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.