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 borough code office can say what Summit Hill requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Summit Hill, PA
Half of the 1,370 homes in Summit Hill were built before 1938. 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 Summit Hill
Layers
No third layer
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). 92% of Summit Hill’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 borough code office or the contractor what Summit Hill’s says.
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 Summit Hill
82% of the occupied homes in Summit Hill are lived in by their owners: 1,043 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 63% before 1940, 87% before 1960, 92% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 2% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 48% detached houses, 44% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 6% buildings of two to four units.
With 44% of homes attached, many roofs here meet a neighbor’s roof at a party wall. Say so on the call, and ask the contractor how the new roof will be tied in where it meets the house next door.
Older houses hide their history: ask the contractor to confirm the deck (board or sheet) and every layer above it before pricing, because slate or two layers mean a full tear-off.
Of the 15 Carbon County municipalities on this site, Summit Hill has the 3rd largest share of homes built before 1980: 92%, against a county range of 21% to 95%.
ZIP codes: 18232 · 18250
Summit Hill and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summit Hill | 1938 | 92% | 82% | 44% | 10 |
| Lansford | 1938 | 95% | 52% | 64% | 10 |
| Coaldale | 1938 | 96% | 69% | 54% | 8 |
| Nesquehoning | 1938 | 75% | 61% | 32% | 11 |
| Jim Thorpe | 1938 | 82% | 87% | 27% | 11 |
| Mahoning Township, Carbon County | 1973 | 63% | 87% | 1% | 12 |
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 Summit Hill
NOAA’s storm reports show 10 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Summit Hill, topping out at 3 in on May 26, 2011. The most recent was July 3, 2025.
At the county level, Summit Hill shares Carbon County’s record of 1 storm disaster declaration since 2006, the newest DR-1649 (Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides, June 2006). (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; 48% 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; 63% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (44% of homes here are attached) | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Summit Hill, 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 Summit Hill
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Summit Hill?
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 borough code office can say what Summit Hill requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Summit Hill?
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). 92% of Summit Hill’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Summit Hill built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Summit Hill was built in 1938, 92% of homes were built before 1980, 82% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Summit Hill?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 10 days within 10 miles of Summit Hill 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 Summit Hill have?
Before signing for a roof in Summit Hill, 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 Summit Hill address or ZIP
- Whether the house is detached, a twin or a rowhouse, and how many stories
- 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.