Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Silver Lake requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Silver Lake, PA
Half of the 1,093 homes in Silver Lake were built before 1978. 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 Silver Lake
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). 53% of Silver Lake’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
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). Ask the township code office or the contractor what Silver Lake’s says.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Silver Lake
Of 691 occupied homes in Silver Lake, 611 (88%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 18% before 1940, 26% before 1960, 53% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 11% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 93% detached houses, 7% manufactured homes.
32% of the homes in Silver Lake 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 Susquehanna County municipalities on this site, Silver Lake has the 11th largest share of homes built before 1980: 53%, against a county range of 44% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 18812
Silver Lake and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Lake | 1978 | 53% | 88% | 0% | 18 |
| Liberty Township, Susquehanna County | 1974 | 60% | 88% | 2% | 20 |
| Forest Lake | 1972 | 71% | 80% | 1% | 12 |
| Montrose | 1938 | 87% | 58% | 3% | 11 |
| Bridgewater | 1980 | 49% | 77% | 1% | 13 |
| Hallstead | 1949 | 71% | 63% | 0% | 15 |
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 Silver Lake
Within 10 miles of Silver Lake, hail of an inch or more was reported on 18 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2.25 in on June 1, 2022. The most recent was April 30, 2024.
That is more hail days than 85% of the places in the state on this site.
Susquehanna County has had 5 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was 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
Lifespans come from HUD’s capital-needs table, not from a brochure. 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; 93% 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; 18% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Silver Lake, 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).
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 Silver Lake
Is a permit required for a new roof in Silver Lake, PA?
Local ordinance, not the state. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Silver Lake requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Silver Lake?
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). 53% of Silver Lake’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Silver Lake built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Silver Lake was built in 1978, 53% of homes were built before 1980, 88% are owner-occupied.
Does Silver Lake get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 18 days within 10 miles of Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake have?
Before signing for a roof in Silver Lake, 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
- The street address in Silver Lake, or at least the ZIP code
- 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 own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.