Roofing in Jenkintown, PA

A half-square-mile borough with every kind of roof

Jenkintown is small, a little over half a square mile, and it's been a town since the coaching days on Old York Road. The business district along York Road splits it in two. East of it, the houses are mostly larger detached singles on bigger lots. West of it, they're closer together: singles, twins and row homes on short blocks.

Because the borough filled in early, most houses here are old, and most have been added onto. A typical Jenkintown house has a main roof, then a handful of smaller ones: a front porch roof, a roof over a bay window, a shed roof over a kitchen addition out back, and on the row homes, a nearly flat roof over the whole thing.

Those small roofs are where a lot of our Jenkintown calls come from. They're low, so they hold water longer. They were often built or patched by whoever did the addition, not a roofer. And because nobody can see them from the street, they get ignored until a ceiling stains.

Porch roofs, bays and back additions: where they fail

Shingles on a slope too shallow for them

Asphalt shingles need a certain amount of pitch to shed water. Porch roofs and back additions are often flatter than that, but someone shingled them anyway so they'd match. Wind-driven rain pushes water uphill under the shingles. A low slope like that should be a flat-roof membrane (EPDM rubber or modified bitumen) or metal, not shingles.

The joint where the small roof meets the house

Where a porch or addition roof runs into the wall of the house, there should be flashing tucked under the siding or set into the brick. On older Jenkintown houses we often find a strip of tar instead. It cracks with the seasons, and water runs down inside the wall.

Bay window roofs

The little roof over a bay window has three or more short slopes and a joint against the wall, all in a few feet. On many older houses it was originally copper or tin. A lot of them have since been covered over. When one leaks, it's worth asking whether metal is the better long-term fix. Properly installed, a metal roof can last a lifetime barring a natural disaster, and on a small bay the cost difference is modest.

Row home roofs on the west side

On the row homes, the main roof is often a low-slope roof shared in a line with the neighbors, separated by a low wall or just a seam. A modified bitumen roof like that lasts about 10 to 20+ years depending on maintenance. Re-sealing the flashing and a fresh reflective coating every three years, from $350, helps it get to the long end of that.

How to check the roofs you never look at

Most of these small roofs can be seen from an upstairs window. Pick a dry day, open the window, and look. Don't climb out onto a porch roof; old porch decking can be softer than it looks.

• Puddles still sitting a day or two after rain: the roof has sagged or the drainage is blocked
• Black tar smeared along the wall where the roof meets the house: a patch over missing flashing
• Shingles on a roof that is nearly flat: the wrong material for that slope
• Blisters, cracks or open seams on a flat roof surface
• Moss or leaves piled at the low edge: water is backing up there
• Stains on the porch ceiling below, or soft spots in the porch ceiling boards

Clear leaves off by hand if you can reach safely from the window, and make sure the small gutter or scupper at the low edge isn't blocked. If you see any of the rest, take a photo from the window and send it along when you call. A small-roof repair caught early sits at the low end of our repair range.

A family roofer used to working on older borough houses

Armstrong Roofing is family-owned and based in Horsham, a short drive up Route 611. Owner Jim Armstrong personally oversees every job, and the team brings 50+ years of combined roofing experience. We pull permits whenever the borough requires one, so you don't have to sort that out yourself.

• Free inspection of the main roof and every small roof on the house, with photos
• Written, line-item estimate before any work starts
• PA license #PA164826, general liability and workers' compensation insurance, BBB A+ rated
• GAF certified, with a 5.0 rating from 200+ Google reviews

We also work in Glenside, Elkins Park and the rest of Montgomery County.

What it usually costs

On Jenkintown houses the job is often a small roof, not the whole house. Porch, bay and addition repairs sit at the low end; a full replacement depends on how many of those small roofs come with it.

• Roof Repair: $350 – $2,500
• Flat Roof Repair: $350 – $1,800
• Flat Roof Installation: $4,000 – $15,000
• Flat roof maintenance (every 3 years): $350 and up
• Roof Replacement: $6,500 – $18,000
• Standing seam metal roof, per square: $1,800 – $2,500

Questions we get asked

Do you work in all of Jenkintown?

Yes, the whole borough, on both sides of Old York Road, from the business district out to West Avenue, Greenwood Avenue and the streets near the train station. We're based in Horsham, a short drive away.

My porch roof leaks. Do I need a whole new roof?

Usually not. Porch roofs leak on their own because they're low and often have the wrong material or a tar patch where they meet the house. Our typical range for flat-roof repairs is $350 to $1,800, and we'll tell you if the main roof needs attention too.

Can you put metal on a bay window or porch roof?

Yes. Standing seam metal suits small, low roofs that shingles struggle on, and on a small area the cost difference is modest. Our typical standing seam range is $1,800 to $2,500 per square, depending on size and detail.

How do I take care of a flat roof on a row home?

Keep it clear of leaves, make sure the drain or scupper flows, and look for blisters and open seams once or twice a year. We recommend re-sealing the flashing and recoating every three years, which starts at $350. Done that way, a modified bitumen roof lasts about 10 to 20+ years.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Jenkintown?

It depends on the job, and the borough sets the rules. We pull permits whenever the borough requires one. Fees vary; ask the borough office if you want to check for yourself.

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes. PA license #PA164826, with general liability and workers' compensation insurance. We'll show you proof before any work starts.

Related pages

• Roof Repair: Leaks, missing shingles, flashing and vents. We fix the problem and tell you honestly how much life the roof has left.
• Flat Roofing: Low-slope roofs over porches, additions and row homes, where ponding water is the enemy.
• Metal Roofing: Standing seam and metal panel roofs for homeowners who want a roof that lasts decades.
• Roof Replacement: Full tear-off and new roof when repairs stop making sense. Written, line-item estimate before anything starts.
• Roof Inspection: A free, top-to-bottom look at your roof with photos, so you know what you actually need before you spend anything.
• Emergency Roof Repair: Active leak or storm damage? Call any time, day or night. We tarp it to stop the water, then make the permanent fix.
• Montgomery County: Where we do most of our work, from Horsham out across the county.
• Glenside: Older stone and brick homes across Cheltenham and Abington townships.
• Elkins Park: Cheltenham Township homes, many with slate and older roofs.
• Abington: Stone and brick older homes where details matter.
• Huntingdon Valley: Lower Moreland and Abington neighborhoods with bigger lots and trees.
• Willow Grove: Post-war Capes, ranchers and splits on their second or third roof.