Womelsdorf has 919 homes, and half of them were standing by 1976. 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.
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.
Permit
Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). Whether Womelsdorf wants a permit is in its own ordinance; ask the borough code office before the old roof comes off.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Layers
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). 53% of Womelsdorf’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
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 Womelsdorf’s says.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Of 902 occupied homes in Womelsdorf, 776 (86%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 20% before 1940, 35% before 1960, 53% before 1980; 15% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 67% detached houses, 21% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 3% manufactured homes.
Of the 67 Berks County municipalities on this site, Womelsdorf has the 37th largest share of homes built before 1980: 53%, against a county range of 18% to 97%.
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Womelsdorf | 1976 | 53% | 86% | 21% | 13 |
| Heidelberg Township, Berks County | 1970 | 63% | 87% | 5% | 14 |
| Millcreek | 1991 | 38% | 81% | 11% | 11 |
| Marion | 1980 | 50% | 80% | 5% | 9 |
| Robesonia | 1955 | 76% | 75% | 25% | 17 |
| Richland Borough | 1954 | 84% | 83% | 14% | 13 |
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.
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 13 separate days within 10 miles of Womelsdorf; the largest was 1.25 in on May 28, 2019. The most recent was May 6, 2025.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4267, March 2016) is the latest of 2 federal storm declarations covering Berks County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Womelsdorf, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Womelsdorf’s houses: 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; 67% 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; 20% 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 (21% of homes here are attached) | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Before signing for a roof in Womelsdorf, 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.
Ask Womelsdorf first. Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). Whether Womelsdorf wants a permit is in its own ordinance; ask the borough code office before the old roof comes 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). 53% of Womelsdorf’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Womelsdorf was built in 1976, 53% of homes were built before 1980, 86% are owner-occupied.
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 13 days within 10 miles of Womelsdorf from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
Before signing for a roof in Womelsdorf, 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 full list: before you call.
Checked October 24, 2026. Laws and code editions change; the date says when these were last read at the source.