Short answer: As of October 2026, the one highest-scoring roofing contractors in the Altoona, PA metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score are Roof Works USA (79.5). Each holds a certification we verified on the manufacturer’s own register, every rating was corroborated elsewhere, and placement on this page is not for sale.
The Roofing Brief scored 1 certified roofing contractors serving the Altoona metro on a published, reproducible formula, then researched each of the top one individually to confirm its record. Altoona’s roofs fail to wind and ice rather than hail: Blair County logged just seven hail reports in ten years, none above 1.5 inches, against 102 thunderstorm wind reports, nine high wind events off the Allegheny Front and three ice storms. That weather lands on one of Pennsylvania’s oldest housing stocks, with 43.9 percent of the city’s homes built before 1940. Only one certified roofer in GAF’s directory serves the metro.
Quick picks for Altoona:
- Roof Works USA: best overall (TRB Score 79.5). Verified services: roof replacement, metal roofing, skylights, gutters.
What an Altoona roof is up against
Pennsylvania has no roofing licence. Under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act a contractor doing more than $5,000 of home improvement a year must register with the Attorney General, which costs $50, needs $50,000 each of injury and property damage insurance, and involves no exam. The registration number must appear on every advertisement and contract, and a contract without it, or not in writing, cannot be enforced against the homeowner.
You can cancel a home improvement contract within three business days of signing. Home improvement fraud above $2,000 is a third-degree felony, graded more severely where the victim is 60 or older. Pennsylvania has no roofing-specific insurance law, so there is no ban on deductible rebates and no special right to cancel after a claim denial; the three-day rescission is the general tool.
The City of Altoona lists replacing or repairing a roof among the work that needs a building permit, and its 2026 fee resolution sets a $40 residential permit plus the $4.50 state fee. The city reviews and inspects all residential work itself. Under the 2021 residential code adopted statewide, a replacement roof must go back to the deck, and a new layer may not go over slate, tile or two existing layers.
Altoona’s housing is far older than the national norm: the city’s median home dates from 1944 and 43.9 percent were built in 1939 or earlier, against 29.1 percent across Blair County, and 36.1 percent of the city’s homes are rented. Many prewar roofs are slate, which the code says cannot simply be covered over.
The one certified roofer ranked in Altoona, PA
Scored 2026-10-18. The metro mean rating used as the Bayesian prior for Altoona is 4.8, across a pool of 1 certified contractors.
| Rank | Company | TRB Score | Certification | Rating (reviews) | Adjusted | In business since | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roof Works USA | 79.5 | Master Elite | 4.8 (247) | 4.8 | not published | Duncansville, PA |
1. Roof Works USA: best overall (TRB Score 79.5)
Roof Works USA is based in Duncansville, PA, led by Paul Balzano, owner, Not accredited, C+ rating, three complaints in three years, one unanswered, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: Master Elite (GAF), Owens Corning Platinum Preferred. Certification by more than one manufacturer is uncommon and requires meeting each programme’s separate standards for insurance, training and track record.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 24 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 32.0 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 15.0 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 8.5 | 10 |
| Total | 79.5 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- ROOFWORKS USA INC. holds registration PA134768, active to 8 September 2027, per a mirror of the Attorney General’s register; the same number appears on its website.. Pennsylvania home improvement contractor register
- Not accredited, rated C+ for failing to respond to one complaint; three complaints in three years, one resolved, one answered and one unanswered, none in the last 12 months.. BBB business profile
- Listed in Duncansville at Owens Corning’s Platinum Preferred tier with 242 GuildQuality reviews averaging 4.75.. Owens Corning contractor locator
- Lists Blair County among 17 counties served, naming Altoona, Hollidaysburg, Bellwood and Tyrone, with project photos tagged Altoona in 2025 and 2026.. Company website
What they actually do. Asphalt shingle replacement, standing seam and stone-coated steel roofing, skylights, gutters, soffit and fascia.
Services we could verify: roof replacement, metal roofing, skylights, gutters.
Why it ranks here. The only certified roofer in GAF’s directory serving the metro, a Master Elite firm in Duncansville, six miles from Altoona, with 247 GAF reviews averaging 4.8. It also holds Owens Corning’s top Platinum Preferred tier, with its own large body of independent reviews, and its website names Altoona and the Blair County towns.
Best fit for: Altoona and Hollidaysburg homeowners who want a firm holding top-tier status with two manufacturers, including for metal or stone-coated steel roofs.
What we would want clarified. BBB rates it C+ because it did not respond to one of three complaints in three years; that November 2024 complaint alleges a crew truck crushed a retaining wall, an allegation rather than a finding. We publish this because a ranking that only prints the flattering findings is an advertisement, not an assessment.
Verify the certification yourself on the GAF registry listing. The number carried on that listing is (814) 400-9464, which is the registry’s contact line and is often a directory tracking number rather than the contractor’s own: take the number from the company’s own website and compare the two.
Other registered Altoona roofers
These Blair County firms hold active Pennsylvania home improvement registrations, per a mirror of the Attorney General’s register, but are not in GAF’s certified directory, so they are not scored or ranked.
| Company | Verified credential |
|---|---|
| Solarshield Metal Roofing (Solarshield Remodelers Inc) | Registration PA011783; BBB accredited since 1983, A+; Owens Corning Preferred; a metal roofing specialist in Altoona since 1978, with four answered or resolved complaints in three years. |
| Champion Roofing Altoona LLC | Registration PA063018; Owens Corning Platinum Preferred; BBB A+, not accredited, two complaints in three years, both answered or resolved; a branch of a multi-location brand. |
| Paul Head Roof and Chimney Repair | Registration PA202461; BBB accredited since 2023, A+, no complaints; roofing and chimney repair in Altoona since 2018. |
| Myers Roofing LLC | Registration PA199129; BBB accredited since January 2026, rated A; Owens Corning Preferred; a young Duncansville firm started in 2024. |
Roof replacement and repair in Altoona, PA
Short answer: In Altoona, the only certified roofer in GAF’s directory serving the metro is Roof Works USA, a Master Elite firm in Duncansville that also holds Owens Corning Platinum Preferred status and suits shingle replacement and metal or stone-coated steel roofs; note its BBB C+ rating. The rule that matters most: the City of Altoona requires a building permit to replace or repair a roof, and a replacement must go back to the deck.
Altoona’s roofs fail to wind and ice rather than hail. Blair County logged just seven hail reports in ten years, none above 1.5 inches, against 102 thunderstorm wind reports, 11 of them severe, and nine high wind events off the Allegheny Front. On 10 January 2024 a gust estimated near 80 mph knocked over a barn near Williamsburg, and on 16 March 2025 a 100 mph downburst ran 4.5 miles through Scotch Valley, blowing porch roofs off. Ice is the other recurring load, with three Blair County ice storms in five years, including 0.34 inch of freezing rain at the Altoona airport on 26 to 27 December 2025.
Those loads fall on one of Pennsylvania’s oldest housing stocks. The city’s median home dates from 1944, 43.9 percent of homes were built in 1939 or earlier, and many prewar roofs are slate. Under the 2021 residential code adopted statewide, a replacement roof must go back to the deck, and a new layer may not go over slate, tile or two existing layers, so a slate roof cannot simply be covered over. The City of Altoona lists replacing or repairing a roof among the work that needs a building permit, its 2026 fee resolution sets a $40 residential permit plus the $4.50 state fee, and the city reviews and inspects all residential work itself.
Pennsylvania has no roofing licence. Under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act a contractor whose home improvement work totalled $5,000 or more in the previous tax year must register with the Attorney General, which costs $50, needs $50,000 each of injury and property damage insurance, and involves no exam. A contract without the registration number, or not in writing, cannot be enforced against the homeowner. You can cancel within three business days of signing. Pennsylvania has no roofing-specific insurance law, so there is no ban on deductible rebates and no special right to cancel after a claim denial, and its claims rules contain no matching requirement.
Roof Works USA in Duncansville, six miles from Altoona, lists asphalt shingle replacement, standing seam and stone-coated steel roofing, skylights, gutters, soffit and fascia, with 247 GAF reviews averaging 4.8. Its registration PA134768 is active to 8 September 2027. BBB rates it C+ because it did not respond to one of three complaints in three years. Among registered firms outside GAF’s directory, which are not scored or ranked, Solarshield Metal Roofing is a metal roofing specialist in Altoona since 1978, and Paul Head Roof and Chimney Repair has done roofing and chimney repair in Altoona since 2018.
| Rule | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State roofing licence | None; Pennsylvania registers home improvement contractors with no competency exam. | Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act |
| HIC registration | Required where home improvement work totalled $5,000 or more in the previous tax year; costs $50 and needs $50,000 each of personal injury and property damage insurance; the number must appear on every advertisement and contract. | Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act; Pennsylvania Attorney General |
| Roof permit | Replacing or repairing a roof needs a building permit; $40 residential permit plus the $4.50 state fee, with city review and inspection. | City of Altoona 2026 fee resolution |
| Tear-off and recover limits | A replacement roof must go back to the deck; no new layer over slate, tile or two existing layers. | 2021 IRC R908.3 and R908.3.1.1, adopted statewide |
| 25 percent rule | Pennsylvania has no 25 percent roof rule; your municipality decides whether a reroof needs a permit. | 34 Pa. Code 403.1(b)(8) and (9) |
| Cancellation | Cancel a home improvement contract within three business days of signing. | Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act |
| Home improvement fraud | Above $2,000 it is a third-degree felony, graded more severely where the victim is 60 or older. | Pennsylvania law |
Related guides: roof replacement cost in Pennsylvania; the 25% roofing rule in Pennsylvania and every other state; how to decide between roof repair and replacement; how to read and compare a roof replacement quote; how to compare roof repair quotes; what homeowners insurance covers on a roof.
The 102 wind reports that shape an Altoona roof
Aggregate hail counts tell you very little about a specific roof. These are the individual events: every severe-weather report logged by the National Weather Service across the 1 county of the Altoona, PA statistical area over ten years, with the dates, the stone sizes and the towns they landed on. Over that decade the metro logged 7 hail reports, 102 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports and 0 tornadoes. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $605,000; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
The biggest hail to fall on Altoona in a decade
| Date | Stone size | Reported near | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 June 2023 | 1.5 in | Canoe Creek | Blair |
| 3 June 2023 | 1.0 in | Holidaysburg | Blair |
| 15 August 2019 | 1.0 in | Geeseytown | Blair |
| 20 July 2023 | 1.0 in | Bellwood | Blair |
| 29 May 2019 | 1.0 in | Tyrone | Blair |
| 30 May 2017 | 1.0 in | Greenwood | Blair |
The largest stone on record for this metro fell on 3 June 2023 near Canoe Creek, measured at 1.5 inches. That is ping-pong-ball sized, enough to bruise asphalt shingles and shorten a roof’s life without necessarily looking dramatic from the ground.
Wind. The strongest thunderstorm gust logged in the metro was 87 knots, about 100 mph, near Geeseytown on 16 March 2025. Asphalt shingles begin lifting at roughly 67 mph when they are correctly nailed, and considerably below that when they are not.
What the National Weather Service wrote about it
The NWS logs a written account of each severe-weather episode. This is its description of the 16 March 2025 event near Geeseytown, reproduced verbatim:
An NWS Storm Survey confirmed a downburst in Scotch Valley on March 16, 2025 as a line of severe thunderstorms moved through. Maximum winds were estimated at 100 mph with damage occurring along a 4.5 mile long path. Dozens of trees were uprooted or snapped along Scotch Valley Road and porch roofs were blown off. Significant structural damage to a barn was also reported. The damage path widened to around 1.6 miles as it neared the end of the track.
That is what the specification has to anticipate here, written up by the agency that recorded it rather than by a contractor selling the repair.
When it happens. Severe weather reports cluster in August (28), July (27), June (15). The worst years on record were 2019 (20), 2017 (19), 2021 (18). If you are scheduling non-urgent work in Altoona, the months outside that window are when crews are least stretched and least likely to be triaging emergency callouts ahead of your job.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, county-level detail files 2016 to 2025, filtered to the counties of this statistical area by The Roofing Brief. Damage figures are as reported to the NWS and undercount insured losses.
What to do with this. Hail is not the governing risk in Altoona. Weight your decision toward wind rating, ventilation and flashing detail rather than paying extra for impact-rated shingles.
Allegheny Front weather: gradient wind and freezing rain on an old housing stock
Altoona’s roof damage comes less from hail than from wind. In ten years Blair County logged only seven hail reports, the largest 1.5 inches near Canoe Creek in June 2023, against 102 thunderstorm wind reports, 11 of them severe, and nine high wind events filed for the county’s forecast zone, much of it northwesterly wind spilling off the Allegheny Front.
Some of the strongest gusts came with no thunderstorm at all. On 10 January 2024 a gust estimated near 80 mph knocked over a barn near Williamsburg while the Altoona airport recorded repeated gusts near 60 mph; on 4 March 2023 northwesterly winds gusted near 60 mph for hours; and in February 2019 non-thunderstorm gusts of about 60 mph brought a tree down onto a home in Altoona.
Storm downbursts add to that. In October 2021 a weather service survey found 80 to 90 mph microburst winds just east of Lake Altoona near Horseshoe Curve, and on 16 March 2025 a 100 mph downburst ran 4.5 miles through Scotch Valley, blowing porch roofs off and badly damaging a barn. On 29 April 2025 a line of storms with 70 mph gusts brought trees down across Altoona, one onto a house on 7th Avenue.
Ice is the other recurring load. The weather service filed three Blair County ice storms in five years: up to half an inch of ice in February 2021, more than a quarter inch in western Blair County in February 2022, and 0.34 inch of freezing rain at the Altoona airport on 26 to 27 December 2025.
Those loads fall on old roofs. With 43.9 percent of Altoona’s homes built before 1940 and many still under slate, the code matters: a replacement must strip to the deck, and nothing may be laid over slate or over two existing layers. Ask any roofer how they will handle the existing layers and the eaves on a prewar house, and confirm the permit is pulled before work starts.
Blair County’s wind and ice record, 2016 to 2025
| Date | Event | Where | Recorded detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 2025 | Downburst, about 100 mph | Scotch Valley | Porch roofs blown off; barn badly damaged; $80,000 |
| 29 Apr 2025 | Thunderstorm gusts, about 70 mph | Altoona | Trees and lines down; a tree on a house on 7th Avenue |
| 26 to 27 Dec 2025 | Ice storm | Altoona airport | 0.34 inch of freezing rain |
| 10 Jan 2024 | Gradient wind, gust near 80 mph | Near Williamsburg | Barn knocked over; gusts near 60 mph at Altoona airport |
| 21 Oct 2021 | Microburst, 80 to 90 mph | East of Lake Altoona | Trees snapped and uprooted |
| 15 to 16 Feb 2021 | Ice storm | Blair County | 0.25 to 0.50 inch of ice |
| 2016 to 2025 | All types | Blair County | 102 wind and 7 hail reports; no tornadoes; $605,000 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database bulk files (Blair County and its forecast zone, 2016 to 2025, our recount); National Weather Service storm surveys and narratives; Pennsylvania Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (Act 132 of 2008); 34 Pa. Code 403; City of Altoona permit guidance and Fee Resolution 0004-26; TradeProof mirror of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s contractor register; Owens Corning contractor locator; BBB business profiles; US Census Bureau ACS 2020 to 2024.
What an Altoona homeowner should ask for in writing
There is no state roofing licence in PA. Pennsylvania issues no state roofing licence. Instead, under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, a contractor whose residential home improvement work totalled $5,000 or more in the previous tax year must register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Office of the Attorney General; large home improvement retailers are exempt.
HIC registration requires minimum insurance of $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage, and no competency exam. Any home improvement contract over $500 must be in writing and meet the Act’s requirements, and the registration number must appear on every contract, estimate, proposal and advertisement.
That absence is the most important fact on this page. Where a state issues no credential, a manufacturer certification that can be revoked is the only quality signal a homeowner can actually check, which is why this ranking is built on certification rather than star ratings.
Check here: Pennsylvania Attorney General contractor search. The Attorney General’s search shows only active registrations, with the number, expiry date and address; it does not show complaints, which have to be requested from the Bureau of Consumer Protection. A quote with no HIC number on it is not compliant with the Act.
For what a full replacement costs across Pennsylvania, including state labor rates and permit rules, see our Pennsylvania roof replacement cost guide.
Four checks to run before you sign anything, in any state.
- Verify certification at the source. Use the GAF verification tool rather than trusting a badge image on a company website.
- Get the certificate of insurance from the insurer, not the contractor, and confirm general liability and workers compensation are both active on the day work starts.
- Confirm who pulls the permit. If a contractor asks you to pull it as the homeowner, that moves liability onto you. Decline.
- Get warranty terms in writing before any deposit, and check the manufacturer warranty being promised actually requires the certification tier the contractor holds.
How many certified roofers Altoona actually has
1 certified roofing contractors serve the principal cities of the Altoona, PA statistical area, of which 0 hold the top President’s Club tier. The pool carries 247 customer reviews between them at a mean rating of 4.8. The statistical area had a 2024 population of 120,269, a change of -2.08% against the 2020 census base, per the U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates.
How these Altoona rankings were produced
Every contractor in the Altoona, PA pool was scored out of 100 on four published components: certification tier, a Bayesian adjusted rating, review depth and distance from the metro centre. In this metro that meant scoring 1 certified contractor, of whom 0 hold President’s Club standing and 1 Master Elite, against a metro mean rating of 4.8. The top one were then researched individually against Better Business Bureau records, state licence registers and manufacturer directories. The findings are printed above whether they flatter the contractor or not, and nobody paid to appear.
The full method, the weightings, what the GAF certification tiers actually mean, who is eligible to be ranked and what we do not claim are all set out on our roofer ranking methodology page. Last updated: October 2026. Scoring run: 2026-10-18. Corrections go to the editor and are actioned on verification.
Common questions about roofers in Altoona
Who is the best roofer in Altoona, PA?
What is the 25% rule for roofing in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has no 25 percent roof rule. The Uniform Construction Code adopted the 2021 IRC effective January 1, 2026, under which a replacement means tear off to the deck and a recover is barred over slate, tile or two or more existing layers. Pennsylvania’s claims rules also contain no matching requirement.
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Altoona?
Yes. The City of Altoona lists replacing or repairing a roof among the work that needs a building permit, and its 2026 fee resolution sets a $40 residential permit plus the $4.50 state fee. The city reviews and inspects all residential work itself.
Who does metal roofing in Altoona?
Roof Works USA in Duncansville, the only certified roofer in GAF’s directory serving the metro, lists standing seam and stone-coated steel roofing alongside shingle replacement. Solarshield Metal Roofing, a registered Altoona metal roofing specialist since 1978, is outside GAF’s directory and is not scored or ranked.
Can you put a new roof over slate in Altoona?
No. Under the 2021 residential code adopted statewide, a new layer may not go over slate, tile or two existing layers, and a replacement roof must go back to the deck. Many of Altoona’s prewar roofs are slate, so ask any roofer how they will handle the existing layers and the eaves.
How many certified roofing contractors serve Altoona?
1 contractors on the GAF certification registry serve the principal cities of the Altoona, PA statistical area as of October 2026, of which 0 hold President’s Club status.
How much damaging hail does Altoona get?
The Altoona, PA statistical area recorded 6 hail reports of 1 inch or larger and 0 of 2 inches or larger between 2016 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Events Database. The largest hailstone reported measured 1.5 inches.
Did any contractor pay to appear on this list?
No. The Roofing Brief takes no placement fees, no lead fees and no affiliate commission from any roofing contractor. Ranking comes entirely from the published formula applied to public registry data, followed by an individual research pass on the top one.
What was the worst hailstorm in Altoona in the last ten years?
The largest hailstone logged by the National Weather Service in the Altoona, PA statistical area between 2016 and 2025 measured 1.5 inches, reported near Canoe Creek on 3 June 2023. That is ping-pong-ball sized, enough to bruise asphalt shingles and shorten a roof’s life without necessarily looking dramatic from the ground. Across the decade the metro recorded 7 hail reports. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $605,000; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
When is the worst time of year for roof damage in Altoona?
Severe-weather reports in the Altoona, PA statistical area cluster in August, July, June, on the NOAA record for 2016 to 2025. If the work can wait, booking outside that window usually buys you shorter lead times and more of the contractor’s attention.
Do roofers need a licence in PA?
Pennsylvania issues no state roofing licence. Instead, under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, a contractor whose residential home improvement work totalled $5,000 or more in the previous tax year must register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Office of the Attorney General; large home improvement retailers are exempt. HIC registration requires minimum insurance of $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage, and no competency exam. Any home improvement contract over $500 must be in writing and meet the Act’s requirements, and the registration number must appear on every contract, estimate, proposal and advertisement.
What should I check before hiring a roofer in Altoona?
The Attorney General’s search shows only active registrations, with the number, expiry date and address; it does not show complaints, which have to be requested from the Bureau of Consumer Protection. A quote with no HIC number on it is not compliant with the Act.
Allegheny Front weather: gradient wind and freezing rain on an old housing stock?
Altoona’s roof damage comes less from hail than from wind. In ten years Blair County logged only seven hail reports, the largest 1.5 inches near Canoe Creek in June 2023, against 102 thunderstorm wind reports, 11 of them severe, and nine high wind events filed for the county’s forecast zone, much of it northwesterly wind spilling off the Allegheny Front.
Is Altoona a hard market to find a good roofer in?
Altoona’s roofs fail to wind and ice rather than hail: Blair County logged just seven hail reports in ten years, none above 1.5 inches, against 102 thunderstorm wind reports, nine high wind events off the Allegheny Front and three ice storms. That weather lands on one of Pennsylvania’s oldest housing stocks, with 43.9 percent of the city’s homes built before 1940. Only one certified roofer in GAF’s directory serves the metro.
Is wind or hail the bigger risk to a roof in Altoona?
Wind, by a wide margin. The Altoona, PA statistical area logged 102 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports against 6 hail reports of an inch or more between 2016 and 2025. Wind damage shows up at the rake, ridge and edge rather than across the field of the roof, so the fastening schedule and edge detail matter more here than the impact rating of the shingle.
Roofer rankings for other metros
The Roofing Brief scores certified roofing contractors in U.S. metropolitan and micropolitan areas on the same formula.
- Best roofers in Johnstown, PA, about 30 miles from Altoona
- Best roofers in State College, PA, about 35 miles from Altoona
- Best roofers in Chambersburg, PA, about 56 miles from Altoona
- Best roofers in Hagerstown, MD, about 70 miles from Altoona
- Best roofers in Gettysburg, PA, another PA metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Harrisburg, PA, another PA metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Goldsboro, NC, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in Farmington, NM, a metro of comparable size
See the full index of metro roofer rankings, or read how to find and vet a roofing contractor anywhere in the country.
Cite this analysis
The Roofing Brief. “Best Roofers in Altoona, PA: The Roofing Brief Contractor Score.” Published October 2026. Inputs: GAF certification registry; NOAA Storm Events Database 2016-2025; U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates; Better Business Bureau and independent review-platform records for each ranked contractor.