Roofing in Northeast Philadelphia: Post-War Rowhouses and Twins
Much of Northeast Philadelphia was farmland until after World War II, when rowhouses, twins and singles filled in along Roosevelt Boulevard.
Homes in Northeast Philadelphia
Across the nine ZIP codes that make up most of Northeast Philadelphia, there are about 147,000 homes. 52% were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and 54% are rowhouses or twins. The older blocks are in the south, around Tacony and Mayfair, and the newer ones in the Far Northeast.
- Flat rowhouse roofs that need a membrane such as EPDM or TPO
- Party-wall flashing and shared roof lines
- Original 1950s–60s roofs with several layers over them
- Wind damage — three tornadoes have touched down here since 2011
Northeast Philadelphia, ZIP by ZIP
| ZIP · Area | Median Year Built | Built Before 1960 | Rowhouses & Twins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19135 · Tacony | 1951 | 79% | 72% |
| 19149 · Mayfair / Oxford Circle | 1954 | 75% | 80% |
| 19136 · Holmesburg | 1955 | 67% | 70% |
| 19111 · Fox Chase / Burholme | 1957 | 60% | 47% |
| 19152 · Rhawnhurst | 1960 | 52% | 49% |
| 19115 · Bustleton | 1967 | 27% | 27% |
| 19154 · Parkwood | 1966 | 22% | 71% |
| 19114 · Torresdale | 1969 | 24% | 38% |
| 19116 · Somerton | 1970 | 16% | 31% |
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024, by ZIP Code Tabulation Area. Area names are the main neighborhood in each ZIP.
Permits: City of Philadelphia
In Philadelphia, roofing permits come from the City’s Department of Licenses and Inspections, which has a streamlined EZ permit for re-roofing an existing roof. If a property is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Philadelphia Historical Commission also reviews roof work before the permit is issued. We check your address and handle the filing.
Storm history: tornadoes in 2011 and 2021
On July 29, 2021, a tornado began in Somerton and tracked into Trevose and Bensalem, where it tore roofing off industrial buildings and most of the roof off a car-dealership showroom. The same storm spun up a brief tornado in Bustleton that pulled roofing and siding off buildings near Grant Avenue. Ten years earlier, on May 18, 2011, an EF-0 touched down near Northeast Avenue and Red Lion Road.
Northeast Philadelphia by the numbers
Thunderstorm wind damage was reported within 5 miles of the center of Northeast Philadelphia on 67 days since 2005, and hail on 16. The strongest measured gust was 71 mph near Holmesburg in June 2020, and hail up to 1.75 inches fell in the Northeast in March 2009. Live Northeast Philadelphia forecast, radar & alerts →
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 — nine Northeast Philadelphia ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (table above); 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 Northeast Philadelphia
Bryn Athyn · New Construction
Abington Twp. · Stone Ranch · Storm Rebuild
Bryn Athyn · Cedar Shake & SkylightsZIP Codes
- 19111 · 19114 · 19115
- 19116 · 19135 · 19136
- 19149 · 19152 · 19154
