Key numbers
45 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Denver County 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: 4, 2000s: 12, 2010s: 17, 2020s: 11 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 |
| 45.44 million | Siding (aluminum, fiber cement, vinyl or steel) was the main exterior wall material on 45.44 million U.S. homes in 2020, more than any other material. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2020 |
| 27.7% | Vinyl siding was the principal exterior wall material on 27.7% of new U.S. single-family homes started in 2025, followed by stucco (24.1%) and fiber cement (22.6%). Source: National Association of Home Builders (analysis of Census Survey of Construction), 2025 |
A storm counts when the library lists Denver 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.
To choose siding for a Colorado home, answer five questions in order: Is the lot in a mapped wildfire area? How hard does hail hit it? How much sun do the walls take? Can the material handle freeze-thaw at its edges? How much upkeep will you do? For most Front Range homes, those questions point to fiber cement, which is why James Hardie fiber cement is the siding Integrity Roofing and Painting mainly installs. Vinyl and engineered wood still fit some homes outside wildfire areas. This guide walks through each question and compares the materials. We replace siding on existing homes only.
1. Check wildfire mapping first
Wildfire rules can decide the material before anything else. Where the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code is adopted, walls on moderate and high parcels must be noncombustible, fire-retardant-treated wood or tested ignition-resistant material, with vinyl allowed only over a fire-rated wall. Replacing 25 percent or more of the wall area brings those rules in. In Colorado Springs, the fire department’s WUI manual bars natural wood, hardboard and vinyl. Start with WUI siding rules in Colorado Springs or WUI siding, eaves and decks.
2. Weigh hail exposure
Hail is a regular summer event along the Front Range. Thin vinyl and metal siding break or dent from hail smaller than what usually damages laminated shingles, according to Haag Engineering’s ice-ball tests. Fiber cement chips and can break but does not dent, and its painted finish can be touched up or the board swapped. No independent hail-impact standard exists for siding yet, according to IBHS, so treat any “hail-proof” claim carefully. See the hail-damaged siding and insurance guide.
3. Plan for sun and altitude
The EPA notes that UV reaching the ground depends on altitude, among other factors, and Denver and Colorado Springs sit more than a mile high. South and west walls chalk and fade first. Factory finishes resist that best; site paint needs a quality 100% acrylic topcoat. Vinyl does not need paint, but its color can fade and dark vinyl absorbs heat.
4. Respect freeze-thaw at the edges
Front Range walls warm in the afternoon sun and freeze at night for much of the year. Water that wicks into board ends and then freezes breaks fiber cement and swells wood products. The cure is the same for every material: clearance above roofs, decks and grade; sealed cut edges; kickout flashing; and a drained water-resistive barrier behind the siding, as the residential code requires in sections R703.1, R703.2 and R703.4.
5. Decide how much upkeep you want
Site-painted siding of any kind needs repainting over its life. Factory-finished fiber cement and engineered wood stretch that interval. Vinyl needs washing, not paint, but cracked panels must be replaced with matching stock, which gets harder as profiles are discontinued.
Materials side by side
| Fiber cement | Vinyl | Engineered wood | Stucco or stone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code reference | R703.10, ASTM C1186 | R703.11, ASTM D3679 | Maker’s evaluation report | R703.7 and R703.12 |
| Combustible | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hail | Chips, breaks | Cracks, holes | Dents, splits | Cracks, spalls |
| Wildfire-mapped walls | Generally accepted | Only over a rated wall | Only if tested | Generally accepted |
| Paint | Primed or factory finish | None | Factory finish or site paint | Varies |
Read the detail pages: James Hardie fiber cement, vinyl siding and engineered wood siding.
Where we come in
We replace siding across the Denver metro and in Colorado Springs, and we can plan it with your roof and gutters so the flashing ties together. If your current siding is failing, water behind siding and fiber cement clearance and caulk problems help diagnose why.
Get a siding recommendation
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred roofing contractor with 650+ Google reviews. Call our Denver office at (303) 209-0152 or book a free inspection; we respond the same business day.
Sources: Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (DFPC); Colorado Springs Fire Department, Ignition Resistant Construction Design Manual; Haag Engineering, Ice Ball Impact Testing of Siding (IIBEC); IBHS, Hail Impact Testing of Building Cladding; EPA, UV Radiation and Sun Exposure; 2021 IRC Chapter 7 (UpCodes).
