A roof in Calhan has to handle wind and hail first. Calhan sits on the open plains of eastern El Paso County, where storms build over flat ground with little to slow them down. On June 7, 2012 the National Weather Service surveyed a tornado north of Calhan that crossed the Elbert and El Paso county line, and reported much wind and hail damage across eastern El Paso County that evening. The good news is that the paperwork is simple: the Town of Calhan is one of the jurisdictions the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) serves, so in town or out on acreage, one office permits your roof.
Wind and hail on the plains
NWS storm records for this part of the county show why we talk about attachment and impact resistance before color:
- June 7, 2012. A supercell crossed eastern El Paso County. One tornado tracked 2.6 miles north of Calhan, about 200 yards wide at its maximum. A second, rated EF0, touched down south of Ramah.
- May 7, 2015. The NWS Storm Data record lists 1.00-inch hail 5.5 miles north of Calhan, reported by a trained spotter.
PPRBD’s design wind speed for homes is 130 mph with exposure category C, the open-terrain setting that fits most of the plains. A roof here is only as good as its nailing, starter strip and ridge.
Roof choices that hold up in Calhan
- Impact-resistant shingles. A Class 4 (UL 2218) shingle resists hail better than a standard one. Our Class 4 shingle comparison explains the ratings.
- Metal on the house. Standing seam with concealed fasteners handles wind well when it is clipped to the manufacturer’s pattern. Neighboring Falcon metal roofing covers metal on the plains in detail.
- Metal on outbuildings. Corrugated and ribbed panels suit barns and shops.
- Gutters sized for downpours. See our gutters page.
Permits and paperwork in Calhan
PPRBD’s reroof guidelines apply: a permit for any repair or replacement over 100 square feet, all old asphalt layers removed before new shingles, drip edge at eaves and rakes, and no stocking of materials before the permit is issued. A permit runs 180 days and can be extended once for free. For more on the county-wide rules, see our El Paso County roofing guide.
Plenty of Calhan homes sit on acreage with a house, a barn and a shop, each with its own roof to look after. We inspect every structure you ask about and give you photos of each one.
Nearby towns
Heading north, the plains run into Elbert County: see roof repair in Elbert and roofing in Elizabeth. West toward Colorado Springs, see Peyton and Falcon.
Book a free Calhan roof inspection
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, and an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. We reply the same business day. Call (719) 488-2800 or book a free roof inspection. If a storm already hit, start with hail damage repair: you own the claim, and our photos make sure nothing gets missed in the scope.
Sources: NWS Pueblo, June 7, 2012 El Paso County Tornadoes; NWS Pueblo, Storm Data, May 2015; El Paso County, Pikes Peak Regional Building Department; PPRBD, Reroofing Guidelines (rev. 03/05/2024); PPRBD, Basic Design Information (updated 06/30/2026); PPRBD, Hail and Disaster Information.
