Key numbers
62 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Douglas County, which includes Highlands Ranch, from 1991 to 2026 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 4.25 inches (grapefruit size) on June 10, 2010 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 1991 to 2026 | 1990s: 1, 2000s: 26, 2010s: 25, 2020s: 10 Source: Storm library: Denver metro hail history |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 4.25 in. (grapefruit), June 10, 2010 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $767.6 million insured losses (2009 dollars), July 20, 2009 Source: RMIIA |
| 1487 | May accounted for 1487 of Colorado's 6848 NOAA-logged hail reports from 2010 through 2025 (about 21.7%). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2010-2025 |
| 0.1% | 0.1% of Highlands Ranch's housing units were built in 1939 or earlier. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 |
| $2778.8 million | NOAA lists 'Colorado Hail Storm (June 2018)' (2018-06-18 to 2018-06-19) among billion-dollar disasters affecting Colorado, at $2778.8 million CPI-adjusted ($2223 million unadjusted). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2018 |
A storm counts when the library lists Douglas 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.
If hail just hit Highlands Ranch, your roof is likely damaged if you can see dents in gutters, downspouts or metal vents, torn window screens, or chipped paint on siding and trim. Those are signs the roof took the same hits. Before anyone climbs up, check who is asking: a local company with insurance, real reviews and a Douglas County roofing permit in its own name. Get a free inspection with photos, compare at least two written quotes, and do not sign on the porch.
Signs you can check from the ground
- Gutters and downspouts. Dents in the aluminum, especially on the side the storm came from.
- Metal on the roof. Dented vent caps, flashing and drip edge, visible with binoculars.
- Screens and windows. Holes or shredded screens, cracked glass.
- Paint. Chips and spatter marks on siding, trim, fences and decks.
- Granules. Dark, sand-like piles at the bottom of downspouts.
- Outdoor furniture and vehicles. If the grill lid is dented, so is something on the roof.
The National Weather Service counts hail 1 inch (quarter size) or larger as severe; golf-ball hail is 1 3/4 inches. At that size, damage to standard asphalt shingles is common, and older shingles can be damaged by smaller stones.
When roofers knock
Big storms bring a wave of door-to-door sales, and the Colorado Division of Insurance warns homeowners to be careful with them. Not every knock is a storm chaser; local companies canvass too. What separates them is what they do next.
- Ask for a card and come back later. You can take information at the door and decide after the storm has passed.
- Check insurance. Ask for proof of liability and workers’ compensation coverage before anyone goes on the roof.
- Look them up. Reviews over several years, complaint history, and a local office.
- Read the contract. Colorado requires a written contract with the scope, approximate dates and cost, the roofer’s physical address and liability insurer, and a 72-hour right to cancel after your insurer denies the claim.
- Walk away from deductible offers. Paying or waiving a deductible is illegal in Colorado; see how Colorado’s deductible law works and why a “free roof” is a red flag.
- Keep the claim yours. Roofers may not act as public adjusters in Colorado. A good one documents the damage so nothing gets missed in the scope, and leaves the claim between you and your insurer.
What Douglas County requires
Highlands Ranch is in unincorporated Douglas County, so the county issues roof permits. Any replacement or repair over 100 square feet needs one, only one layer of roofing is allowed, and every permit closes with a final inspection; tile, slate and stone-coated steel also get a mid-roof inspection. The full list is on our Highlands Ranch roofing code page.
If the roof needs replacing
We first wrote this page after a June 2016 hailstorm in Highlands Ranch, and the advice has not changed much since. If you are replacing anyway, a Class 4 impact-rated shingle is worth pricing; see the Class 4 shingle comparison and our Denver hail guide, and the lessons from the May 8, 2017 Denver hailstorm. Our six-step process is below, and our Highlands Ranch service page covers the work we do in town.
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews, with a Denver-area office in Centennial. Call (303) 209-0152 or book a free inspection for storm damage repair; we reach out the same business day.
Sources: Douglas County Building Division, Roofing Permits; Colorado Division of Insurance, hail consumer advisory (May 22, 2024); NWS, hail size reference; C.R.S. 6-22-103, 6-22-104 and 6-22-105 (unofficial reproduction).
