Roofing Hackettstown's Older Homes

By Hackettstown Roof Repair · October 16, 2026

Hackettstown has been a town since 1853, and plenty of its houses are older than that. Their roofs need a bit more thought.

Hackettstown grew up around the mills on the Musconetcong River, first as Helms' Mills, and was incorporated as a town in 1853, named for early landowner Samuel Hackett. The railroad, Centenary's campus, and later the arrival of Mars, which moved its candy operations here from Newark in 1958, all brought new waves of building. The result is a town where 19th-century homes on and around Main Street sit a few blocks from post-war ranches and newer developments.

If you own one of the older houses, here's what to know about its roof.

Expect complicated roof lines

Victorians, Queen Annes and older farmhouses often have steep roofs with multiple gables, dormers, bay windows, turrets and porches. Every place where two roof planes meet, or where a roof meets a wall, is a joint that needs flashing. More joints mean more potential leak points and more work on any roofing job.

What may be under the shingles

• Old roofs stacked on old roofs. It was common for decades to nail fresh shingles straight over the previous ones. New Jersey's code caps it at two layers, so if you already have two, everything comes off next time.
• Boards, not plywood. Houses from the 1800s and early 1900s usually have roofs framed with sawn planks, sometimes spaced apart from the days of wood shingles. Asphalt shingles need a solid surface, so roofers often lay new sheathing over the planks - and once roof boards are added or replaced, New Jersey treats the job as permit work.
• Original slate under later asphalt, or still exposed on porches and bays.
• Hidden rot near chimneys, valleys and eaves, where water has been getting in for years.

Plan for surprises. Agree in writing with your roofer how rotted boards will be handled and charged if they're found.

Slate: repair before you replace

With Pennsylvania's Slate Belt just across the Delaware River, slate was a natural choice for builders in this area. Good slate can last a century or more; the nails and flashing usually fail first. If your house still has slate, ask for an assessment of whether the slate itself is sound before deciding to tear it off. Repairing broken pieces and replacing flashing can keep a slate roof going for decades. See slate roof repair.

Chimneys

Older homes often have several chimneys, some no longer in use. Chimneys that aren't used still need sound flashing, crowns and caps - and sometimes it makes sense to have unused chimneys capped properly or, in some cases, removed below the roof line. Get a roofer and, if needed, a mason to look at them together. See chimney flashing repair.

Box gutters

Some older homes have built-in "box" gutters set into the cornice and lined with metal, rather than gutters hanging off the edge. When the lining fails, water goes straight into the cornice and walls. Signs include rot or peeling paint on the cornice, stains at the tops of exterior walls, and plants growing out of the gutter. Relining box gutters is specialized work; ask whether a roofer has done it before.

Attics built for a different era

Older houses weren't built with modern insulation or ventilation. Many have had insulation added since, but without matching ventilation, which can trap moisture and cause condensation, mold and ice dams. A roof replacement is the ideal time to add soffit and ridge ventilation. In a town that gets as much snow as Hackettstown, that's well worth doing. See ice dam roof repair.

Choosing materials

• Keep the character. On historic homes, darker architectural shingles, slate-look shingles or real slate usually look right. Very light or busy colors can look out of place.
• Porches with low slopes may need a membrane or metal roof rather than shingles.
• Copper is often the right choice for valleys and chimney flashing on slate roofs.
• If your house is in a designated historic area or you're using historic preservation incentives, check the requirements before you choose.

Find the right roofer

Older homes need roofers who are comfortable with steep pitches, complex flashing, slate and surprises. Ask about their experience with homes of your house's age and style, and ask to see examples.