Permit
Ask Roaring Brook first
Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Roaring Brook requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Roaring Brook, PA
Half of the 892 homes in Roaring Brook were built before 1975. What the code requires when that roof is replaced, and who signs off, is below.
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 Roaring Brook
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). With 63% of Roaring Brook’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Ice barrier
Roaring Brook’s climate table decides
IRC R905.1.2 calls for an ice barrier where Table R301.2 says so; in Pennsylvania the municipality completes that table. Ask the township code office or the contractor what Roaring Brook’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 Roaring Brook
Owners live in 819 of Roaring Brook’s occupied homes, or 95%. By year built, 7% before 1940, 16% before 1960, 63% before 1980; 28% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 96% detached houses, 3% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
Of the 34 Lackawanna County municipalities on this site, Roaring Brook has the 20th largest share of homes built before 1980: 63%, against a county range of 42% to 88%.
ZIP codes: 18444
Roaring Brook and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roaring Brook | 1975 | 63% | 95% | 3% | 16 |
| Dunmore | 1944 | 83% | 61% | 4% | 18 |
| Moscow | 1981 | 48% | 79% | 2% | 10 |
| Throop | 1948 | 84% | 79% | 5% | 17 |
| Scranton | 1938 | 88% | 50% | 11% | 19 |
| Olyphant | 1958 | 68% | 69% | 5% | 16 |
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 Roaring Brook
Within 10 miles of Roaring Brook, hail of an inch or more was reported on 16 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on February 25, 2017. The most recent was April 30, 2024.
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 Roaring Brook, 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; 96% 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; 7% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Roaring Brook, get the contractor’s PA registration number: the home improvement law requires registration with the Attorney General above $5,000 a year of such work, and the number on contracts and estimates (HICPA § 3, § 6).
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 Roaring Brook
Is a permit required for a new roof in Roaring Brook, PA?
Ask Roaring Brook first. Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Roaring Brook requires.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Roaring Brook?
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). With 63% of Roaring Brook’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Roaring Brook?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Roaring Brook was built in 1975, 63% of homes were built before 1980, 95% are owner-occupied.
Does Roaring Brook get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 16 days within 10 miles of Roaring Brook 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 Roaring Brook?
Before signing for a roof in Roaring Brook, get the contractor’s PA registration number: the home improvement law requires registration with the Attorney General above $5,000 a year of such work, and the number on contracts and estimates (HICPA § 3, § 6).
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Roaring Brook address or ZIP
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- 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 Roaring Brook
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.