Key numbers
77 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Travis County, which includes Austin, from 1984 to 2025 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 5 inches (softball size) on May 20, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 1984 to 2025 | 1980s: 8, 1990s: 16, 2000s: 24, 2010s: 13, 2020s: 16 Source: NOAA NCEI |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 5 in. (softball), May 20, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $160 million insured losses (2006 dollars), April 20, 2006 Source: Insurance Journal |
| 49% | Replacement projects such as roofing, windows and HVAC accounted for 49% of U.S. homeowner improvement spending in 2023. Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, 2023 |
| 67.5% | According to Remodeling's 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, the national average asphalt shingle roof replacement cost $31,871 and recouped 67.5% at resale. Source: Remodeling / JLC (Zonda), 2025 |
| Nearly $31 billion | U.S. roof repair and replacement cost value in insurance claims totaled nearly $31 billion in 2024, up nearly 30% since 2022. Source: Insurance Journal (reporting Verisk), 2024 |
A storm counts when NOAA lists a report in Travis County. Each hail size is the storm's largest report in the seven Austin-area counties, which may have fallen in a neighboring county, and insured losses cover every area the storm hit.
For most Austin homes the asphalt shingle worth buying is an architectural (laminated) shingle, and if hail is your bigger worry, an impact-resistant Class 4 shingle that may also earn an insurance discount. 3-tab shingles cost the least but are rarely the best value on a whole house anymore, and luxury shingles are a look choice, imitating slate or shake. Any of them lasts longest when it is installed with the right underlayment, flashing and attic ventilation for Central Texas heat.
The four shingle tiers
| Tier | What it is | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| 3-tab | Flat, single-layer strips cut into three tabs | A shed, or patching an existing 3-tab roof |
| Architectural | Two or more laminated layers for a dimensional look | The standard choice for a whole-house replacement |
| Luxury / designer | Thick, heavy shingles shaped like slate or shake | You want a high-end look without slate weight or cost |
| Impact-resistant (Class 4) | Shingles rated UL 2218 Class 4 | Hail is your top concern, or your insurer discounts Class 4 |
We are an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, so we install Owens Corning shingle systems and register the manufacturer’s warranty when the job is done.
Class 4 and your Texas insurance
The Texas Department of Insurance says roof coverings that pass a recognized impact test are rated Class 1, 2, 3 or 4, that a Class 4 covering receives the highest premium credit, and that each insurer sets its own discount and the paperwork it accepts. Practical steps: ask your agent what the discount is before choosing, keep the product label or invoice showing the UL 2218 class, and send your insurer the documentation they ask for once the roof is installed. Our guide to the Texas impact-resistant roof insurance discount walks through TDI form PC068 and the 2026 TDI bulletin. If your current roof was hit by hail, start with Austin storm damage repair.
What a well-installed shingle roof includes
The checklist Pflugerville uses for re-roof inspections is a good yardstick anywhere in the Austin area:
- Shingles only on slopes of 2:12 or steeper, with double underlayment (or single 30 lb felt or synthetic) from 2:12 to 4:12.
- Metal flashing at walls, step flashing on sidewalls, and a cricket on the uphill side of chimneys.
- Open valley flashing at least 24 inches wide, or an equivalent method.
- At least four fasteners per strip shingle, with no exposed nails.
- Drip edge at the roof edges, which Round Rock also requires.
Heat is the other half. A hot, poorly vented attic ages shingles from below, so ventilation belongs in the scope. Our summer roof damage in Austin guide shows what heat wear looks like.
Next steps
Compare shingles with metal or synthetic cedar, read what a roof replacement costs in Austin, or see popular roof colors in Austin. Financing is available for an upgrade to Class 4. We are veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, with 650+ Google reviews. Call (512) 610-5897 or book a free Austin roof inspection; we reply the same business day.
Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, Roofing discounts; City of Pflugerville, Re-Roof Inspection Certificate; City of Round Rock, Other Building Permits.
Photos From Our Projects
