Switching a Cimarron Hills home from asphalt shingles to metal is a full roof conversion, not a re-cover. Cimarron Hills is an unincorporated community on the east side of Colorado Springs, so the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) permits it, and its reroof guidelines decide a lot of the details: the condition of the deck underneath, who may touch the gas appliance vents, and what happens to solar panels. Metal itself performs well here. It resists the wind on the east side, sheds snow, and steel stands up to hail better than softer metals. The planning is in the transition.
What changes when you go from shingles to metal
- Decide on tear-off. Removing the old shingles is the only way to see the deck, and the metal manufacturer’s instructions set the underlayment and fastening.
- The deck is checked. PPRBD requires plank decking gaps of 1/4 inch or less, or new decking over it. Soft or rotted sheathing should be replaced before metal goes down.
- Every penetration is re-flashed with metal-specific boots and trim. For B-vents, roofers may only replace the cap, collar and jack; anything more needs a licensed HVAC contractor.
- Solar needs a permit. A Detach and Reset solar permit, pulled by a licensed contractor, is required before the panels come off.
- Snow guards go over doors, walkways and the driveway, because metal releases snow in sheets.
PPRBD notes that direct-to-deck metal shingles do not need a mid-roof inspection, the same as asphalt.
Hail on the east side
The east side of Colorado Springs takes repeat hail. On June 7, 2012, the NWS noted that a supercell on the east side of the city brought large, damaging hail along a similar path to a damaging storm the night before. In the June 13, 2018 storm, trained spotters reported 2-inch hail 2 miles west-southwest of Peterson Air Force Base. For homes that keep getting hit:
- Steel resists dents better than aluminum or copper.
- Class 4 (UL 2218) panels are worth asking about. Check how your policy treats cosmetic damage to metal.
- Stone-coated steel hides minor marks in its textured finish.
Compare profiles on our metal roofing guide, and see stone-coated steel if you want a shingle look.
Cost and value
A conversion costs more than a shingle replacement, and the gap depends on the profile, the trim count and how much decking needs work. Our metal roof cost guide explains the drivers. Financing is available.
Nearby
For metal on open plains, see Falcon metal roofing. For metal in wildfire country, see Black Forest. South of the city, see Stratmoor. Our main Cimarron Hills roofing page covers shingle roofs and repairs, and our El Paso County guide covers the county-wide rules.
Get a Cimarron Hills metal roof estimate
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 inspection and metal estimate.
Sources: PPRBD, Reroofing Guidelines (rev. 03/05/2024); El Paso County, Pikes Peak Regional Building Department; NWS Pueblo, June 7, 2012 El Paso County storms; NWS Pueblo, Hail Storm in El Paso County (June 13, 2018).
