Key numbers
49 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Jefferson County, which includes Golden, from 1984 to 2026 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 4.5 inches (softball size) on July 13, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 1984 to 2026 | 1980s: 1, 1990s: 5, 2000s: 15, 2010s: 18, 2020s: 10 Source: Storm library: Denver metro hail history |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 4.5 in. (softball), July 13, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $2.3 billion insured losses (2017 dollars), May 8, 2017 Source: RMIIA |
| 14 | IBHS's Wildfire Prepared Home designation is available in 14 western and southern states, including Colorado. Source: Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), 2026 |
| About 50.2% | About 50.2% of Jefferson County's housing units (127,248 of 253,574) were built in 1979 or earlier, the Census bin closest to the 1978 federal lead-paint ban. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 |
| About 2.5 million | About 2.5 million people, just under half of Colorado's population, live in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Source: Colorado State Forest Service, 2023 |
A storm counts when the library lists Jefferson 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.
Hail history by ZIP (NOAA reports since 1996; linked ZIPs have a full page, method)
| ZIP | Area | 1 in.+ reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80401 | Golden | 27 | 2 in. |
Local building code: Golden roof code data: IRC edition, reroof permits, ice barrier
Roofers in Golden work under one of two building departments, and which one depends on your address: the City of Golden inside city limits, or Jefferson County for the foothill neighborhoods outside them. Inside the city, re-roofing needs a city permit, minor repairs of 10% or less of the roof do not, and every contractor on a permitted job needs a City of Golden contractor license. Outside the city, Jefferson County requires a mid-roof and a final inspection in person, and in mapped wildfire areas the state’s wildfire code requires a Class A roof. Knowing which applies to your address is the first step.
City of Golden vs unincorporated Jefferson County
| City of Golden | Unincorporated Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Re-roof permit | Required | Required |
| Small repairs | Minor repair or replacement of 10% or less: no permit | Ask the county; the permit is applied for online |
| Contractor | City of Golden contractor license for any permitted job | County rules apply |
| Inspections | Scheduled with the city | Mid-roof (when more than 10% but less than 25% of the roof is done) and final; no photo inspections |
| Wildfire | State wildfire code where mapped | Wildfire regulations for permits applied for from July 1, 2026, with a WUI overlay map |
Check your address in the Jefferson County Address Wizard; Municipal Status tells you which column you are in.
The wildfire question
Golden sits against the foothills, and the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code applies inside mapped wildland-urban interface areas. Its roof rules:
- Class A required. Roof coverings must be classified Class A under ASTM E108 or UL 790.
- The 25% rule. Replacing 25% or more of an existing roof covering, or work that effectively replaces it, requires the entire roof to be replaced with a covering that meets new-construction rules. Smaller repairs are exempt.
Asphalt shingles, metal, tile and many synthetic cedar products can meet Class A; real wood shakes on their own do not. Our metal roofing page covers metal for foothill homes. For the details, read our Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code guide, the wildfire home hardening guide, and our guides to WUI siding and decks and defensible space zones.
Golden neighborhoods and nearby towns
We work in downtown Golden, Applewood, North Table Mountain and the Golden Gate Canyon area, and in nearby Lakewood, Morrison, Evergreen up in the county’s snow and wildfire country, and Arvada, which splits its wind design at Highway 93. Up the road toward Boulder County, see Louisville. For businesses, see commercial roofing. See all Denver-area towns we serve.
Repair, replacement or storm damage
Small leaks: Denver roof repair. Hail or wind: storm damage repair; the claim stays yours, and our photos make sure nothing gets missed in the scope. Background reading: Denver roofing codes.
We are veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, with 650+ Google reviews, and we reply the same business day. Call our Centennial office at (303) 209-0152 or book a free roof inspection.
Sources: City of Golden, Required Building Permits Guide; City of Golden, Contractor License; Jefferson County, Re-Roofing and Residing; Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code.
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