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 |
| 110 | Colorado law (HB16-1005) allows up to two rain barrels per household with a combined capacity of 110 gallons, filled only from rooftop downspouts and used outdoors. Source: Colorado State University Extension, 2016 law |
| 54.3% | According to Remodeling's 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, a metal roof replacement in the Mountain region cost $46,579 and recouped 54.3% at resale. Source: Remodeling / JLC (Zonda), 2025 |
| 20 | NAHB's 2007 study puts gutter life at more than 50 years for copper and 20 years for aluminum. Source: National Association of Home Builders / Bank of America Home Equity, 2007 |
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.
Sectional gutters are the right call in a few specific cases: short runs on sheds and detached garages, a repair that must match an existing sectional system, and tight budgets where the house only needs a few feet replaced. For the main runs of most Colorado Springs homes, they are not the best value, because every section adds a joint held with sealant, and joints are where gutters leak when water freezes. Integrity Roofing and Painting installs and repairs sectional gutters and will tell you plainly when a seamless gutter would cost you less over time.
Where sectional gutters make sense
- Outbuildings. A shed, garage or carport with a short eave line. (Under the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department code, detached accessory structures in the City of Colorado Springs need at least a Class B roof covering, so the roof on that shed may be worth a look too.)
- Matching a repair. Replacing a damaged section on a house that already has sectional gutters in good shape.
- Short runs. A porch or bay roof where a seam or two is not a meaningful risk.
- Budget triage. Getting water off a roof edge now, with a plan to upgrade later.
Why the joints fail
Each section joins the next with a connector and sealant. Water that sits in a joint, especially in a section that has sagged, gets into the sealant. When that water freezes and thaws it pushes the joint apart a little at a time. Hail can also crack sealant and bend the connectors. Over a few winters the joints start to drip, and the drip lands right at the foundation or on a walkway. Our snow and ice page explains how freezing water damages roof edges.
How to make sectional gutters last
- Pitch every run toward the downspout so no section holds water.
- Use enough hangers to carry snow and ice without sagging.
- Overlap sections in the direction of flow so water runs over the seam, not into it.
- Seal every joint fully and inspect them each fall.
- Keep them clear. A gutter guard keeps needles out of the joints.
Compare with other styles
Sectional gutters come in the same profiles as other gutters, usually K-style. For a cost breakdown, read what new gutters cost in Colorado Springs, and see every option on our gutter installation overview.
Who does the work
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and has been family-run since 1990. We are licensed and insured, BBB accredited with an A+ rating, and has 650+ Google reviews. Call (719) 488-2800 or book a free inspection.
