Skip to content
Mission Roof crew on the roof of a gray Cape Cod house at sunrise, shingle bundles and tarps staged on the lawn

Lehigh County · 18049

Roof repair and replacement in Emmaus, PA

A Moravian village turned iron town, then a 1950s boom borough. Nearly a quarter of its homes come from that one decade, and very few were built after 2000.

  • 5.0 on Google
  • PA HIC #201201
  • NJ HIC #13VH14078100

Roofing in Emmaus

Emmaus’s houses and their roofs.

Moravian settlers laid out the village in 1758, and it stayed a closed church community for about a century before becoming a borough in 1859. Iron ore and the railroad drove its growth after that, and by the 1960s annexations from neighboring townships had taken the borough to its current size. One of the oldest survivors, the 1803 House, is a 2½-story fieldstone house with a slate-covered roof.

Most of today's houses are far younger. Census estimates count about 5,100 homes, and the 1950s were the biggest single decade, with roughly 1,200 built. The population rose almost 32 percent between 1950 and 1960. Another 30 percent of homes predate 1940, and fewer than 4 percent were built from 2000 on, because the borough had run out of room.

That leaves a town full of roofs that have been replaced at least once, on houses that aren't going anywhere. We work out of Newtown, about 40 miles away, and Emmaus is on our service list. Inspections here are free.

Know the house

Roofs you’ll find around Emmaus.

  • 1950s houses

    Built in the borough's busiest decade and likely on their second or third roof by now. Old layers left in place hide the deck, so we tear off to the boards and photograph every sheet we replace.

  • Pre-1940 twins and village houses

    One home in four here is attached. On older twins, the shared ridge and chimney flashing are where leaks start, and an attic check shows which side the water is coming from.

  • 1970s to '90s houses

    About 1,400 homes date from these three decades. A roof in its middle years is a good candidate for a free inspection instead of waiting for a leak.

Life at the foot of South Mountain

The borough sits against South Mountain, with January averaging just under 29 degrees downtown. Snow lingers on north-facing slopes, melts over warm attics and refreezes at cold eaves. On the postwar houses here, that cycle is the usual cause of ice dams and the stained ceilings that follow.

When the January 2016 blizzard dropped a record 31.9 inches at the valley's airport, roofs across the area carried that weight for days. Ice and water shield at the eaves, valleys and every penetration is standard on every roof we install.

Overhead view of a house with a new brown roof and the work truck in the driveway

Google reviews · 5.0★

From our Google reviews

All reviews
“Mission Roofing did a 1st class job on our home. Dave was a pleasure to work with. Professional, punctual, and courteous. Highly recommended for your siding and roofing needs.”
Ed Walls Jr. · Google, April 2026

Emmaus questions

Roofing in Emmaus, answered.

Something else? Call or text (484) 647-7466, or read the full questions & answers.

Does Emmaus have historic-district rules for roofs?

We did not find a local historic district or review board for the borough. A few of the oldest buildings are on the National Register, and that listing alone places no restrictions on private owners. Check with the borough before changing a building's exterior. Pulling the required permit is our job.

My 1950s house has two layers of shingles. Can the new roof go over them?

We don't install over old layers. A full tear-off shows the condition of the original boards, and any soft sheets are replaced at the per-sheet price in your contract, with photos.

Why does my roof get ice dams when the neighbor's doesn't?

Usually attic heat and ventilation, not the shingles. Warm air melts snow higher up and it refreezes at the colder overhang. We look at insulation and venting in the attic before suggesting anything on the roof.

Is Emmaus too far for you?

No. It is on the list of areas on our own site. Our office is in Newtown, so the visit is scheduled ahead, and the inspection is still free.

Free roof inspection

Let’s take a look at your roof.

Anywhere in Emmaus and the towns around it. Pick a time online, call, or send us the basics here and we’ll get back to you to set it up. No pressure, and the quote is good for 30 days.

(484) 647-7466

That’s (484) MISSION · team@mission-roof.org

Hours
Mon–Sat 8 am – 4 pm
Office
41 University Dr, Suite 400
Newtown, PA 18940

Free and no-obligation.

Call nowFree inspection