Explainers: how Pikes Peak region storms damage buildings
These explainers take one storm problem at a time: wind that peels shingles in January, hail that bruises a roof without leaking, heavy April snow that snaps limbs, and July cloudbursts that push water toward a walkout basement. Each one covers the cause, the warning signs, safe first steps, and the questions worth asking an insurer, landlord or contractor before anyone starts work.
- Downslope winds and your roof: what happens when gusts come off the mountains
The windiest days in Colorado Springs often arrive with clear skies in winter and early spring. Gusts that rush down off the high terrain can lift, crease and tear shingles even when no storm cloud is in sight.
- How to read hail damage on an asphalt shingle roof
A hail-damaged roof in Colorado Springs rarely leaks the same day. The harm is usually a bruise or crack in the shingle mat that shortens its life. Knowing what inspectors look for helps you follow the conversation and spot a weak report.
- Upgrading to impact-resistant shingles when hail replaces your roof
A hail replacement is the cheapest moment to change roofing material, because the tear-off is already happening. Here is how to decide whether Class 4 impact-resistant shingles make sense for a home in the Pikes Peak region.
- What a well-installed storm tarp looks like in a high-wind city
A tarp that flaps loose in the next gust protects nothing and can strip more shingles on its way off. In Colorado Springs, where wind and strong sun both work on temporary covers, installation details decide whether a tarp holds until repairs.
- Emergency board-up after hail or wind breaks glass
Broken glass after a hailstorm lets in rain, snow, dust and anyone who wants in. Board-up closes the opening until glass can be measured and replaced, which can take weeks after a widespread storm.
- When storm water reaches the attic and ceilings
Once rain or snowmelt gets past a damaged roof, the attic absorbs it first. Blown-in insulation holds water like a sponge and hides it from view until a ceiling stains or sags.
- Summer cloudbursts and walkout basements on sloped lots
Midsummer thunderstorms in Colorado Springs can drop a lot of rain in a short burst. On hillside lots, that water runs downhill toward the lowest door, window well or garage slab, and it can arrive in minutes.
- Wet spring snow: limbs, gutters and roof loads
Spring snowstorms along the southern Front Range often bring dense, wet snow that clings to branches and roofs. When trees have started to leaf out, the weight can bring down limbs that shrugged off a dry January snowfall.
- A tree came down in the storm: safety, removal and responsibility
A large limb on the roof is both a safety hazard and a puzzle of who does what. The tree has to come off before the roof can be covered, and whose tree it was can change who pays.
- Utility hazards after a storm: power lines, gas and generators
Before anyone thinks about tarps or claims, a storm-damaged property has to be safe to approach. Electrical and gas hazards cause the most serious injuries after storms, and most of them are avoidable.
- Storm chasers and door knockers after a Colorado Springs hailstorm
Within days of a big hail event, trucks with out-of-area plates and teams with clipboards often fill the affected neighborhoods. Some are legitimate businesses. Others are gone before the first leak appears. A few checks sort them out.
- Why the first hail claim check looks short: ACV, RCV and depreciation
Many Colorado Springs homeowners open their first hail claim payment and assume something went wrong. Often it is how replacement cost policies pay: part now, the rest after the work is done and documented.
- Hail dents on a metal roof: cosmetic or functional?
Metal roofing is popular in the Pikes Peak region because it handles hail and wind well. But a dented metal roof raises a hard insurance question: if it still keeps water out, is the damage covered?
- Hail damage to cooling equipment, solar panels and roof vents
Roofs get the attention after hail, but the equipment around the house takes hits too. Bent condenser fins, cracked solar glass and dented vents are easy to miss and can change both comfort and the size of a claim.
- Permits and inspections for a storm reroof in the Pikes Peak region
After a hail claim, a permit can feel like one more delay. In practice it is one of the few independent checks on a roof replacement, and it gives you a record that the work met local requirements.
- Renting when a storm damages your home: who handles what
Colorado Springs has a large rental population, including many military households. When hail breaks windows or wind opens a roof, renters need to know what to report, what to protect, and which repairs belong to the owner.
- Low-slope commercial roofs after hail and wind
Strip centers, offices, churches, schools and warehouses across Colorado Springs sit under low-slope roofs. Hail and wind damage them differently from shingles, and a small puncture can let water travel a long way before it shows inside.