Roofing in Ambler: Older Homes in a Railroad Borough
Ambler is a small borough in the Wissahickon Valley, bordered by Upper Dublin, Lower Gwynedd and Whitpain townships. It takes its name from Mary Ambler, who helped care for the injured after the Great Train Wreck of 1856 nearby, and its train station still sits at the heart of the Butler Avenue business district.
Homes in Ambler
Ambler is one of the older towns we serve: 65% of its homes were built before 1960, and only about a third are detached singles. Twins and rowhouses make up 29% of the housing, mixed with Victorian-era singles on narrow lots.
- Shared roof lines and party-wall flashing on twins and rowhouses
- Chimney flashing on older masonry chimneys — copper is our standard
- Older roofs that may hide extra shingle layers and tired decking
- Attic ventilation that was never designed for today’s shingles
Permits: Ambler Borough
Ambler Borough’s building inspector lists roofing among the projects that need a building permit, and applications go through the Borough’s code department. We file it before work starts.
Storm history: the 2021 Ida tornado
On September 1, 2021, the remnants of Hurricane Ida produced an EF-2 tornado, with winds the National Weather Service estimated at up to about 130 mph, that tracked from the Fort Washington area of Upper Dublin Township into Horsham. Its path passed within about 3.5 miles of Ambler. Wind damage like lifted or creased shingles isn’t always visible from the ground, so after a strong storm a free drone inspection is the quickest way to know where your roof stands.
Ambler by the numbers
Half of the homes in Ambler were built in 1954 or earlier, and 65% predate 1960. Thunderstorm wind damage was reported within 5 miles on 49 days since 2005, and hail on 16. The strongest measured gust nearby was 72 mph near Conshohocken in June 2017, and hail up to 1.25 inches fell near Blue Bell in July 2021. Live Ambler forecast, radar & alerts →
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 — Ambler borough; National Weather Service storm reports 2005–2026, within 5 miles of the town center; permit details from the municipal websites linked above.
Recent work near Ambler
Oreland · Colonial · Copper Flashing
Plymouth Meeting · Stucco Colonial · New Plywood & Copper
Plymouth Township · Shingle, Metal & CopperZIP Codes
- 19002 — Ambler
