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 |
| Roughly 10% | Windows account for about 5 quads, roughly 10%, of U.S. building energy use, per Berkeley Lab researchers. Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory / Building Simulation, 2019 |
| About 0.02 | Without algae growth, asphalt shingle solar reflectance changes by about 0.02 or less over three years; algae staining in humid climates can cut it by up to 0.06. Source: LBNL / Cool Roof Toolkit (abstract), 2012 |
| About 3.5 million | About 3.5 million U.S. households reported missing roofing material, 1.9 million a sagging roof and 1.5 million a hole in the roof in the 2023 American Housing Survey. Source: Roofing Contractor (reporting Instant Roofer analysis of 2023 AHS), 2023 |
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.
Repair a window when the frame and sash are sound and the problem is a part: a fogged glass unit, a worn balance, failed weatherstripping or dried-out glazing. Replace it when the frame is rotted or cracked, many units have failed seals, or the window cannot be made to open, close and seal. In Colorado Springs, strong sun, cold winter nights and summer hail push older windows toward replacement faster, but plenty of windows here are still worth fixing. Integrity Roofing and Painting replaces windows in existing homes, mostly with Simonton units or a brand you choose, and we will tell you when repair is the better answer.
A quick sorting test
| What you see | Usually means | Usually the fix |
|---|---|---|
| Fog or haze between panes on 1 or 2 windows | Glass seal failed | Replace the glass unit |
| Fog on many windows, same age | Seals reaching end of life | Replace the windows |
| Sash will not stay up | Broken balance | Replace the balance |
| Drafts at the sash, frame solid | Worn weatherstripping | Weatherstrip and adjust |
| Soft sill or bottom rail | Rot | Repair small spots; replace if widespread |
| Cracked glass after hail | Impact damage | Replace glass, or the window if the frame is damaged |
| Stains on the wall below | Flashing or sill leak | Fix the flashing; often full-frame replacement |
What the research says about savings
New windows are often sold on energy savings, and the evidence is more modest than the ads:
- The National Park Service recommends sealing air leaks first, with caulk, weatherstripping and glazing compound, and rejects the claim that replacement typically saves up to 50 percent.
- The National Trust’s Preservation Green Lab compared seven window upgrades in five U.S. climates and found that cheaper retrofits, such as interior panels and exterior storm windows, came close to replacement on energy and almost always beat it on return on investment.
- A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory cold-climate field study measured about a 21 percent heating-load reduction from low-e storm windows, with about a 4.5-year payback.
Replacement still wins on comfort, condensation, hail-cracked units, rot and operation. Just do not buy windows on a promised utility bill.
Colorado Springs factors
Older neighborhoods. Homes in Old Colorado City, the Old North End and Manitou Springs often still have original wood sash, which can be worth restoring; newer homes in Briargate or Stetson Hills more often have vinyl units with failing seals.
Sun. UV and heat on south and west walls dry out wood, fade vinyl and break down glazing putty and seals faster. Repairs on those elevations often do not last as long.
Hail. Glass usually survives better than screens, aluminum wraps and vinyl frames. Research by Peter Flüeler in IIBEC Interface found ordinary insulated and safety glass reached the top hail-resistance class in his tests, while wired glass failed earliest. See hail-damaged windows.
Altitude. Replacement glass units for homes above 6,000 feet need pressure equalization, usually with capillary tubes, so ask about it for both new windows and replacement glass.
Wildfire. On west-side lots in the wildland urban interface, replacing single-pane windows with tempered or multi-pane glass is one of the hardening steps that matters. See WUI siding rules.
Older homes and lead paint
If the house was built before 1978, both repair and replacement can disturb lead paint. EPA’s RRP rule exempts only small repairs, 6 square feet or less of painted surface per room inside or 20 square feet outside, and window replacement is always covered. Ask any contractor how they handle it, and see lead-safe prep for pre-1978 homes.
If replacement is the answer
Read window replacement in Colorado Springs for how we measure, install and flash, replacement window flashing for the water details, and window energy ratings to compare quotes.
Get an honest window assessment
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 inspection; we respond the same business day.
Sources: National Park Service, Weatherization of Historic Buildings: Windows and Doors; National Park Service, Preservation Brief 9: The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows; National Trust Preservation Green Lab, Saving Windows, Saving Money (2012); LBNL, Field Evaluation of Low-E Storm Windows; Flüeler, Hail Impact Resistance of Building Materials, IIBEC Interface (2009); EPA, RRP Program: Contractors.
