Key numbers
49 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Jefferson County, which includes Lakewood, 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 |
| 46.1% | 46.1% of Lakewood's housing units were single-family detached homes in 2020-2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 |
| $637,600 | The median value of owner-occupied homes in Jefferson County was $637,600 in 2020-2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80226 | Lakewood | 15 | 2 in. |
| 80227 | Lakewood | 13 | 1.5 in. |
| 80215 | Lakewood | 7 | 1.5 in. |
| 80214 | Lakewood | 6 | 1.5 in. |
| 80228 | Lakewood | 6 | 2 in. |
| 80232 | Lakewood | 5 | 1.75 in. |
Local building code: Lakewood roof code data: IRC edition, reroof permits, ice barrier
Roofers in Lakewood are required to hold a City of Lakewood contractor registration (class 5h or higher for roofing) and a roofing permit before tear-off on any re-roof or any repair of 100 square feet or more. Lakewood requires every roof covering to carry a Class A fire rating, requires residential roofs to be removed to the deck, and inspects most re-roofs by photos uploaded to the permit in eTRAKiT rather than in person. Those rules come from Lakewood’s roofing handout under the 2021 codes the city adopted in June 2023.
Lakewood’s roofing requirements
| Topic | Lakewood rule |
|---|---|
| Permit | Required for a re-roof or a repair of 100 sq ft or more, before tear-off |
| Who can do the work | The owner on an owner-occupied single-family home, or a registered contractor (5h or higher) |
| Fire rating | Every roof covering must be Class A (ASTM E108 or UL 790), citywide |
| Tear-off | Residential roofs removed to the deck |
| Shingles | ASTM D7158 class F or H; 2:12 minimum slope; T-lock shingles not approved on re-roofs |
| Decking | Damaged plywood replaced; spaced board decks overlaid with 3/8 to 1/2 inch panels, no matter how small the gaps |
| Underlayment | Double felt under 4:12. Ice barrier not required. Drip edge at all eaves and rakes |
| Chimneys and skylights | A cricket on the high side of anything more than 30 inches wide |
| Vents | Cracked flue vents replaced by a registered mechanical contractor under a separate permit |
| Inspections | Photo inspections through eTRAKiT; mid-roof for tile and non-standing-seam metal; final for all |
| Heavy tile | Tile of 7.5 psf or more needs a stamped engineer’s letter at permit time |
Why photo inspections change who you hire
Because Lakewood reviews photos instead of climbing your roof, the photos are the inspection. Good documentation at each stage (deck, underlayment, flashing, finished roof) is what passes. Photo documentation of every stage is already part of how we work, and you get the same photos.
Lakewood neighborhoods
We work across Lakewood, including Belmar, Green Mountain, Bear Creek, Morse Park and Southern Gables, and in neighboring Golden, Morrison and Littleton. North of Lakewood, Arvada requires Class 4 shingles and a mid-roof inspection on every re-roof. See all Denver-area towns we serve.
Lakewood roofing services
Asphalt shingles, tile, slate, synthetic cedar (check Class A on the product), roof repair and replacement. After hail, see storm damage repair; the claim stays yours, and our photos make sure nothing gets missed in the scope. Background: Denver roofing codes.
See a recent local job: our storm roof replacement in Lakewood, Owens Corning Duration shingles on a 4/12 roof, or browse all of our roofing projects.
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.
Source: City of Lakewood, Roofing and Re-roofing handout (2021 IBC/IRC/IEBC as adopted June 30, 2023).
