Key numbers
103 verified hail storms with stones of 1.5 inches or larger reached El Paso County, which includes Colorado Springs, from 2000 to 2025 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 4.5 inches (softball size) on July 13, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 2000 to 2025 | 2000s: 35, 2010s: 44, 2020s: 24 Source: Storm library: El Paso County hail history |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 4.5 in. (softball), July 13, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $352.8 million insured losses (2016 dollars), July 28, 2016 Source: RMIIA |
| About 30 | Copper downspouts last 100 years or more, while aluminum downspouts last about 30 years, per NAHB's 2007 study. Source: National Association of Home Builders / Bank of America Home Equity, 2007 |
| About 0.02 | Without algae growth, asphalt shingle solar reflectance changes by about 0.02 or less over three years; algae staining in humid climates can cut it by up to 0.06. Source: LBNL / Cool Roof Toolkit (abstract), 2012 |
| 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 |
A storm counts when the library lists El Paso County among the areas it hit. Each hail size is the storm's largest report, which may have fallen in a neighboring county, and insured losses cover every area the storm hit.
Box-style gutters on Colorado Springs buildings come in two kinds, and the right fix depends on which you have. A built-in box gutter is framed into the roof edge and lined with metal or membrane, common on older homes; when it leaks, the answer is usually to repair the framing and reline it, or convert to a hung gutter. A hung box gutter is a rectangular gutter fastened to the fascia, used on modern and commercial buildings; it is repaired or replaced like any other gutter. Integrity Roofing and Painting inspects box gutters for free and tells you which path costs less over time.
Warning signs of a failing box gutter
- Peeling paint or stains on the soffit or cornice directly below the gutter.
- Water stains on an upstairs ceiling or wall near the eaves.
- Ice building up at the roof edge over the gutter in winter.
- Rust, split seams or patches of tar in the gutter lining.
- Sagging trim, which can mean the framing behind it is wet.
Built-in gutters hide their leaks, so these signs often appear long after the lining failed.
Repair, reline, or convert
- Inspect the lining and framing. We look at the liner, seams and outlets, and probe the wood for soft spots.
- Repair the framing if it is wet or rotted. Relining over rot only hides it.
- Reline a sound built-in gutter with new metal or membrane, with outlets and expansion joints sized for the run.
- Or convert to a hung gutter, often a K-style or half-round gutter on new fascia, when the built-in gutter is beyond saving or not worth the upkeep.
Snow and ice in a box gutter
A built-in box gutter sits at the coldest part of the roof, so snow and ice settle in it, and a blocked outlet turns it into a basin. Keeping outlets clear before winter is the most important maintenance step. If ice dams are part of the problem, the heat loss above the gutter needs fixing too; see snow and ice damage repair. If the leak is active, start with emergency roof repair.
Commercial and modern buildings
Hung box gutters suit flat and low-slope commercial roofs and modern homes with crisp lines. On a commercial building, the gutter, scuppers and downspouts are sized with the roof drainage as a whole; our commercial roofing page covers that work. A commercial reroof in El Paso County is permitted through the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, with the permit fee based on the job’s valuation.
Compare before you choose
See every style on our Colorado Springs gutter overview, read the best gutters for Colorado Springs homes, including sectional gutters for small outbuildings.
Our credentials
We are a veteran-owned, family-run business since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor and member of the Colorado Roofing Association, with 650+ Google reviews. Call (719) 488-2800 or request a free inspection.
Source: PPRBD Reroofing Guidelines (rev. 03/05/2024); PPRBD, Do You Have Roof Damage From a Storm?.
