Permit
Ask Palmyra Township 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 Palmyra Township requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Palmyra Township, Wayne County, PA
Half of the 614 homes in Palmyra Township were built before 1982. 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 Palmyra Township
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
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). 46% of Palmyra Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
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 Palmyra Township’s says.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Palmyra Township
Owners live in 412 of Palmyra Township’s occupied homes, or 82%. Counting by decade, 20% before 1940, 25% before 1960, 46% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 17% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 92% detached houses, 3% manufactured homes.
Of the 18 Wayne County municipalities on this site, Palmyra Township has the 12th largest share of homes built before 1980: 46%, against a county range of 29% to 80%.
ZIP codes: 18473
Palmyra Township and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmyra Township, Wayne County | 1982 | 46% | 82% | 0% | 9 |
| Texas | 1969 | 68% | 87% | 5% | 8 |
| Cherry Ridge | 1978 | 56% | 78% | 1% | 9 |
| Berlin | 1982 | 47% | 86% | 0% | 9 |
| Honesdale | 1952 | 80% | 52% | 0% | 5 |
| Paupack | 1981 | 47% | 91% | 1% | 14 |
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 Palmyra Township
NOAA’s storm reports show 9 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Palmyra Township, topping out at 1.75 in on August 21, 2014.
At the county level, Palmyra Township shares Wayne County’s record of 5 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4815 (Tropical Storm Debby, September 2024). (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 Palmyra Township’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; 92% 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 | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 20% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | 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 Palmyra Township, 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 Palmyra Township
Is a permit required for a new roof in Palmyra Township, PA?
Ask Palmyra Township 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 Palmyra Township requires.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Palmyra 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). 46% of Palmyra Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Palmyra Township built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Palmyra Township was built in 1982, 46% of homes were built before 1980, 82% are owner-occupied.
Does Palmyra Township get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 9 days within 10 miles of Palmyra Township 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 Palmyra Township 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 Palmyra Township, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Palmyra Township address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.