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 |
| About 29% | About 29% of U.S. homes with asphalt shingles have less than four years of remaining useful roof life. Source: Insurance Journal (reporting Verisk), 2025 (report year) |
| About 10% | Unvented attics typically run asphalt shingles 2-3°F hotter on average, which Building Science Corporation estimates cuts shingle service life about 10%; shingle color and orientation matter two to three times more. Source: Building Science Corporation, 2006 (rev. 2013) |
| 6 to 10 | CAPE Analytics found the highest hail loss ratios on homes with roofs just 6 to 10 years old, not the oldest roofs. Source: CAPE Analytics, 2021 |
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
An Austin roof needs replacing when the shingles are worn out across the roof (heavy granule loss, cracking, curling or brittle tabs), when leaks keep returning after repairs, or when hail has bruised every slope. Age alone is not the test: a roof that has seen many hot Texas summers can still have life left, and a young roof can be totaled by one hailstorm. A full replacement normally means removing the old roofing, repairing any damaged decking, and installing new underlayment, flashing, ventilation and roofing.
Signs it is time
- Granules in the gutters and bare spots on the sun-facing slopes.
- Cracked, curled or brittle shingles that break when lifted.
- Leaks in more than one place, or the same leak returning after a repair.
- Hail bruising across the roof, not just one slope. That is often an insurance question first; see storm damage repair.
- A hot, poorly ventilated attic and rising cooling bills, which age shingles from below.
If only one area is failing, a roof repair may be the better call. Our article on reasons to replace a roof in Austin has more examples.
Tear-off or overlay
Several cities around Austin spell out when the old roof must come off. Georgetown requires removal when the existing roof is water-soaked or deteriorated, already has two or more layers, or is wood shake, slate, clay or cement tile, and the same conditions appear on Pflugerville’s re-roof inspection certificate. Even where an overlay is allowed, only a tear-off shows whether the decking underneath is soft or rotted, so ask any roofer which one their price assumes.
Permits by city
For the City of Austin’s exemptions, the wildfire-zone rule and how a permit is activated and inspected, see do you need a roof permit in Austin.
| Where the home is | Residential re-roof permit |
|---|---|
| City of Austin | Generally exempt for a covering that does not adversely affect the structure; not exempt in the Wildland-Urban Interface area when 50% or more is replaced, or for more than 128 sq ft of decking |
| Round Rock | Not required for a re-roof; a remodel permit if the roof is modified |
| Leander | Re-roofing listed as exterior work needing no permit |
| Georgetown | Required for every re-roof inside city limits |
| Pflugerville | Third-party re-roof inspection certificate, signed before the final inspection |
| Bee Cave | Required for roof replacement |
| Dripping Springs | Required for work that alters or repairs a structure; city limits and listed ETJ developments |
Choosing the new roof
Most Austin replacements are architectural or impact-resistant shingles; metal and tile are the common upgrades. Our residential roofing page compares them by situation, and what a roof replacement costs in Austin covers price ranges. Financing is available. If the walls need work too, Austin siding replacement explains how we re-side existing homes with James Hardie fiber cement, so roof flashing and siding are fitted in one project.
We are veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, and have 650+ Google reviews. Call (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 Round Rock, Other Building Permits; City of Leander, Permits and Building Inspection; City of Georgetown, Re-Roofing Permits; City of Pflugerville, Re-Roof Inspection Certificate; City of Bee Cave, Building; City of Dripping Springs, Residential Builder Information Packet.
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