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 |
| 50% | Painting the entire home is the top project Realtors recommend before listing, cited by 50% of Realtors in NAR's 2025 Remodeling Impact Report. Source: National Association of Realtors / NARI, 2025 |
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.
If your Colorado Springs home was built before 1978, any paid painting work that disturbs more than a small amount of old paint falls under EPA’s lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule. Inside, that means more than 6 square feet of painted surface per room; outside, more than 20 square feet. Window replacement is always covered. The rule requires the contracting firm to be EPA certified and to follow lead-safe work practices, unless testing shows the paint is free of lead. This page is general information about those rules, not legal advice. Integrity Roofing and Painting paints homes of every age with Sherwin-Williams and Behr products; if your home is older than 1978, tell us when you book.
Why it matters
Lead was common in house paint before it was banned for residential use in 1978. Intact lead paint is a smaller risk than lead dust, and dust is exactly what scraping and sanding make. Paint makers warn about it on their own data sheets: Behr’s exterior paint sheet, for example, warns that scraping, sanding or removing old paint may release lead dust, that lead is toxic, and that children and pregnant women should avoid exposure.
What the RRP rule covers
| Question | Answer from EPA |
|---|---|
| Which homes | Houses, apartments and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 |
| Which work | Paid renovation, repair or painting that disturbs painted surfaces |
| Small jobs | Exempt if 6 sq ft or less per room inside, or 20 sq ft or less outside |
| Always covered | Window replacement and demolition of painted surfaces |
| Who must be certified | Any firm paid to do covered work, including sole proprietors |
| Homeowners | Generally exempt on their own home, unless renting, running child care or flipping |
| Lead-free finding | Only a certified inspector, risk assessor or certified renovator using recognized methods can make it |
How lead-safe painting changes the prep
EPA’s guidance for lead-safe work comes down to three ideas: contain the work area, minimize dust, and clean up thoroughly. On a typical exterior repaint, that changes the job in visible ways:
- Containment. Plastic sheeting on the ground and over nearby plants and openings to catch paint chips and dust.
- Dust-minimizing methods. Wet scraping and wet sanding where practical, and power tools only with dust collection.
- Daily cleanup. Chips and debris bagged and removed every day, not left in the yard.
- Final cleaning and checks. The work area cleaned and inspected before the plastic comes down.
- Records. Certified firms keep records of the work practices used.
Inside, the same steps apply with sealed doorways, covered floors and HEPA vacuums.
Questions to ask any painter about an older home
- Who is the EPA-certified renovator on my job, and will they be on site?
- Will you test the paint, or treat it as lead paint?
- How will you contain chips and dust, and protect my yard and garden?
- How do you clean up at the end of each day and at the end of the job?
- What records will I receive?
Colorado Springs older homes
Many homes in Old Colorado City, the Old North End, the older downtown neighborhoods and Manitou Springs were built before 1978, and many have wood siding, trim and windows with many layers of paint. Plan for longer prep on those homes, and check whether your neighborhood has historic design guidelines or HOA rules on colors before you choose. For wood surfaces, read stain vs paint on exterior wood; for windows, see repair or replace windows.
Whether the house is in Manitou Springs, Palmer Lake, Fountain or near the Air Force Academy, the federal rule is the same. If the work goes beyond paint into structural or siding repairs, a Pikes Peak Regional Building Department permit may also apply.
Related painting pages
Our Colorado Springs painting page, interior painting and when to repaint cover the rest of the job.
Ask about your older home
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, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program; EPA, RRP Program: Contractors; EPA, RRP and recently installed windows; CDPHE, Lead-Based Paint and Renovation; Behr, Premium Plus Exterior Flat Paint No. 4050 data sheet (lead warning).
