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 |
| 2% to 5% | Real estate experts estimate fresh exterior paint can increase a home's value by 2% to 5%, as reported by Consumer Reports. Source: Consumer Reports, 2026 |
| Up to 10 | One topcoat of paint on properly prepared wood should last four to five years, and two topcoats up to 10 years, per Purdue/USDA Forest Products Lab guidance. Source: Purdue University Cooperative Extension / USDA Forest Products Laboratory, 1988 (revised) |
| 15 | NAHB's 2007 study says interior and exterior paint can last 15 years or longer, though homeowners often repaint sooner. 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.
At Colorado Springs altitude, sunlight breaks down exterior paint faster, so the south and west walls fade and chalk years before the north side. The EPA notes that UV reaching the ground depends on altitude, and the city sits above 6,000 feet with long stretches of clear sky. Paint lasts longer here when it is a quality 100% acrylic exterior product, applied over clean, sound, primed surfaces, in weather the paint is rated for, with extra prep on the sun-facing walls. Integrity Roofing and Painting uses Sherwin-Williams and Behr exterior paints on Colorado Springs homes and plans each job around the sun.
What UV does to paint
Paint is pigment held in a binder. UV light attacks the binder at the surface, which releases loose pigment as a powdery film called chalk, and the color fades as the surface erodes. On wood, UV goes further: the USDA Forest Products Laboratory found bare wood surfaces start to degrade within one to two weeks outdoors, and paint applied over wood that was left to weather first bonds poorly and tends to crack and peel within a few years. That is why primed wood should not sit unpainted, and weathered wood has to be sanded back to sound fiber.
Which walls fail first
| Elevation | Sun load | What we usually see |
|---|---|---|
| South | Most hours of direct sun | Chalking, fading, cracked caulk |
| West | Hot afternoon sun | Fading, blistering on dark colors, split trim |
| East | Morning sun, dew | Moderate wear, mildew in shade |
| North | Little direct sun | Mildew, slow drying, the best-looking paint |
On a Briargate two-story or a Broadmoor ranch alike, we often recommend extra attention on the south and west walls, and HOA color approval comes before any color change: more sanding and spot priming, fresh caulk, and a second full coat even where one coat would look fine on the north side.
Paint choices that hold up
- 100% acrylic exterior paint. Behr’s data sheet for Premium Plus Exterior Flat describes it as a premium 100% acrylic paint and primer with a mildew-resistant finish. Sherwin-Williams describes Duration Exterior as an acrylic latex backed by a lifetime limited warranty from Sherwin-Williams. Those warranties are the paint maker’s, not ours.
- The right primer for the surface. Behr’s sheet, for example, calls for its stain-blocking primer under the topcoat on fiber cement, and bare wood needs primer before paint.
- Color with care. Dark colors run hotter, which Purdue Extension and Forest Products Laboratory guidance links to temperature blistering on fresh paint. Lighter and mid-tone colors usually look newer longer.
Application in strong sun
Sun on the wall while paint is going on is a common cause of early failure. Purdue’s paint-failure bulletin, written with the Forest Products Laboratory, says temperature blisters form when fresh paint is heated by direct sun, and recommends painting each side while it is in shade. We follow the shade around the house: west walls in the morning, east walls in the afternoon. Product limits matter too: Behr lists its Premium Plus Exterior for air temperatures between 35 and 90°F, and Sherwin-Williams lists Duration Exterior down to 35°F. Our best season to paint page covers the calendar.
Prep that pays off in sun
- Wash the chalk off at low pressure and let the walls dry.
- Test adhesion with tape on the worst wall; if paint lifts, it has to come off.
- Scrape and sand loose and weathered areas back to sound surface.
- Prime bare wood, cut ends and stain-prone spots.
- Caulk open joints with a sealant made for exterior movement.
- Paint two coats on sun-facing walls, out of direct sun.
Related pages
Chalking and fading problems are covered in exterior paint chalking and fading, and peeling in peeling and blistering. For timing, read when to repaint; for wood, stain vs paint; and for fiber cement, Hardie board painting. Our main Colorado Springs painting page covers the whole service.
Get an exterior painting estimate
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred roofing contractor with 650+ Google reviews. Call (719) 488-2800 or book a free walkthrough; we respond the same business day.
Sources: EPA, Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation and Sun Exposure; Williams, Weathering of Wood (USDA Forest Products Laboratory); Cassens and Feist, Paint Failure Problems and Their Cure (Purdue NCR-133); Behr, Premium Plus Exterior Flat Paint No. 4050 data sheet; Sherwin-Williams, Duration Exterior Acrylic Latex.
