Roof Replacement in Washington Township, Snyder County, PA
Washington Township has 593 homes, and half of them were standing by 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.
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 Washington Township
Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
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 Washington Township requires.
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 46% of Washington Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
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 Washington Township’s says.
89% of the occupied homes in Washington Township are lived in by their owners: 481 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 18% before 1940, 26% before 1960, 46% before 1980; 19% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 89% detached houses, 8% manufactured homes.
Of the 15 Snyder County municipalities on this site, Washington Township has the 13th largest share of homes built before 1980: 46%, against a county range of 30% to 91%.
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 Washington Township
NOAA’s storm reports show 5 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Washington Township, topping out at 4 in on May 28, 2019. The most recent was June 3, 2023.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
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; 89% 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
Simple roofs with long, unbroken slopes
Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (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
Porches, additions, low-slope rears
Coating is not a replacement
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Washington Township, 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).
Does a roof replacement in Washington Township need a permit?
Local ordinance, not the state. 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 Washington Township requires.
Is a roof-over allowed in Washington Township, or is it a tear-off?
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 46% of Washington Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Washington Township?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Washington Township was built in 1982, 46% of homes were built before 1980, 89% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Washington Township had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 5 days within 10 miles of Washington Township 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 Washington Township?
Before signing for a roof in Washington Township, 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 Washington Township 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 Washington Township