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 |
| 15 | In hail-prone states the average roof lifespan is 15 years, versus 22 years in drier western states such as Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Source: Insurance Journal (reporting Verisk), 2025 (report year) |
| About 3.5 million | About 3.5 million U.S. households reported missing roofing material, 1.9 million a sagging roof and 1.5 million a hole in the roof in the 2023 American Housing Survey. Source: Roofing Contractor (reporting Instant Roofer analysis of 2023 AHS), 2023 |
| 32 | The median age of U.S. homes was 32 years in 2007, per NAHB citing Census data. Source: National Association of Home Builders / Bank of America Home Equity, 2007 |
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.
Local building code: Austin, TX roof code data: IRC edition, reroof permits, ice barrier
Most Austin roof leaks are repairable: cracked pipe boots, worn flashing at walls and chimneys, wind-lifted or missing shingles, and failed sealant around vents and skylights are the usual culprits. A repair is enough when the problem is in one area and the rest of the roof is sound. It is not enough when the shingles are brittle and shedding granules across the roof, or when hail has bruised every slope; then repairs only chase leaks, and a roof replacement or a storm damage claim is the conversation to have.
Common roof repairs around Austin
- Pipe boots. The rubber collar around plumbing vents dries and cracks in the sun, letting water run down the pipe.
- Flashing. Metal at walls, chimneys and skylights loosens or rusts, or the sealant that backs it up fails.
- Wind-lifted shingles. Shingles along edges and ridges break their seal in a storm and later leak in wind-driven rain.
- Valleys. Debris from live oaks and other trees holds water in valleys and wears them faster.
- Heat damage. Blistered or cracked shingles on the sun-facing slopes; see signs of summer roof damage in Austin.
- Overflowing gutters that back water under the roof edge. That is a gutter fix as much as a roof one.
Permits for repairs
Inside City of Austin limits, routine repairs generally need no building permit: the city exempts replacing up to 128 square feet of roof decking and repairing or replacing wood fascia, trim and soffits. In the Wildland-Urban Interface area, keep the 50% rule in mind: replacing 50% or more of the roof requires replacing all of it, to the Class A standard. In the suburbs, Round Rock and Leander do not require a permit for a residential re-roof, Lakeway requires one when the material, design or slope changes, and Dripping Springs requires permits for repairs to a structure inside its jurisdiction.
What to do before we arrive
- Put a bucket under the drip and move belongings out of the way.
- Photograph the ceiling stain and, if it is safe, the attic underneath the leak.
- Stay off the roof. Wet or hot shingles are slippery, and walking on brittle shingles breaks them.
- Note when it leaks: every rain, only heavy rain, or only with wind from one direction. That narrows the search.
Tile, slate and metal repairs
Repairs on tile, slate and metal roofs need different techniques: lifting and resetting tile, replacing individual slates, or re-fastening and resealing metal panels. Tell us the roof type when you call so the right person comes out.
We are veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, and have 650+ Google reviews. Call our Austin office at (512) 610-5897 or book a free Austin roof inspection; we reply the same business day.
Sources: City of Austin, Work Exempt from Building Permits; City of Austin, Wildland-Urban Interface Code; City of Round Rock, Other Building Permits; City of Leander, Permits and Building Inspection; City of Lakeway Code, Section 24.02.081; City of Dripping Springs, Residential Builder Information Packet.
