Permit
Ask Salem Township first
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the township code office in Salem Township is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Salem Township, Wayne County, PA
Half of the 3,127 homes in Salem Township were built before 1983. 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 Salem 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). 44% of Salem Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
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 Salem Township will know.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Salem Township
Of 1,806 occupied homes in Salem Township, 1,429 (79%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 11% before 1940, 15% before 1960, 44% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 20% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 85% detached houses, 9% manufactured homes.
37% of the homes in Salem 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, Salem Township has the 14th largest share of homes built before 1980: 44%, against a county range of 29% to 80%.
ZIP codes: 18436
Salem Township and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem Township, Wayne County | 1983 | 44% | 79% | 0% | 10 |
| Lake Township, Wayne County | 1985 | 32% | 84% | 0% | 7 |
| Sterling | 1991 | 29% | 90% | 0% | 7 |
| Madison Township, Lackawanna County | 1985 | 42% | 92% | 1% | 9 |
| Paupack | 1981 | 47% | 91% | 1% | 14 |
| Dreher | 1982 | 47% | 75% | 1% | 6 |
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 Salem Township
NOAA’s storm reports show 10 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Salem Township, topping out at 1.25 in on May 26, 2011. The most recent was July 13, 2023.
At the county level, Salem 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
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; 85% 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; 11% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| 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 Salem 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 Salem Township
Is a permit required for a new roof in Salem Township, PA?
Ask Salem Township first. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the township code office in Salem Township is the one to ask before work starts.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Salem 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). 44% of Salem Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Salem Township built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Salem Township was built in 1983, 44% of homes were built before 1980, 79% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Salem Township?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 10 days within 10 miles of Salem 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 Salem 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 Salem Township, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Salem 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
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.