Short answer: If a hailstorm just rolled through your area, the safest move is a free, professional roof inspection — most hail damage can’t be seen from the ground, and catching it now means it gets fixed before Colorado’s winter turns small dings into leaks. Josh Brooks Construction and Renovation Inc. is a licensed, local roofing and general contractor (Boulder County license CON-24-0152) serving the Front Range since 2014.
Call 720-828-7997 | Text 720-453-5095 | joshbrooksconstruction@gmail.com
How do I know if my roof has hail damage?
Hail leaves a mix of obvious and hidden clues. Walk your property and look for:
- Dents on gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing, and the fins of your AC condenser
- Granules collecting in gutters and at the bottom of downspouts (a sign shingles are losing their protective surface)
- Bald spots, cracked shingles, or dark “bruises” where the granules were knocked off
- Dings or cracks on siding, window screens, wraps, and painted surfaces
Dents on soft metal are your best early warning: if hail dented your gutters, it very likely hit your roof too.
Can I see hail damage from the ground?
Usually not. The most costly hail damage — bruised shingles and compromised granule layers — is only visible up close, at roof level. That’s why a ground-level glance often misses it, and why you shouldn’t assume “it looks fine” means your roof is fine. A professional inspection is the only reliable way to know, and ours is free.
What should I do after a Colorado hailstorm?
Move in this order:
- Note the date of the storm and confirm it with the National Weather Service or NOAA’s Storm Events Database (linked below).
- Get a free professional inspection and photo documentation of any damage.
- Do not sign anything with door-to-door “storm chasers” who show up right after a storm.
- File your insurance claim if real damage is found, within your policy’s window.
- Choose a licensed, local contractor to handle the repair and meet the adjuster with you.
How do hail damage roof insurance claims work in Colorado?
Most Colorado homeowners policies cover sudden hail and wind damage. You pay your deductible, and your insurer pays the rest based on your policy type (replacement cost or actual cash value). An adjuster inspects the roof; your contractor can be there to make sure nothing is missed.
Colorado also protects you through the Residential Roofing Bill of Rights (Senate Bill 38): contractors must provide a written contract, and it is illegal for any roofer to pay, waive, or rebate your insurance deductible. If someone offers to “eat your deductible,” that’s a red flag and against Colorado law.
Should I worry about storm chasers?
Yes. After every big Front Range hailstorm, out-of-state crews flood neighborhoods, collect deposits, do rushed work, and disappear before problems surface. Our whole approach is the opposite: Licensed. Local. Not a storm chaser. When your warranty question comes up two winters from now, we’re still right down the road.
Should I upgrade to Class 4 impact-resistant shingles?
If your roof needs replacing, it’s worth asking about Class 4 (UL 2218) impact-resistant shingles. They stand up to hail far better than standard shingles, and many Colorado insurers offer a premium discount for installing an impact-resistant roof — which can offset part of the upgrade over time. On the hail-prone Front Range, it’s one of the smartest upgrades you can make.
How long do I have to get it fixed?
Two clocks are running. Your insurance claim window is often up to a year from the storm date (check your policy), and Colorado’s winter is coming. Unrepaired hail damage lets water in as snow melts and refreezes, turning a covered claim into a bigger, messier problem. The best time to handle it is now, in late summer and fall — before the first hard freeze.
What areas of Colorado do you serve?
Josh Brooks Construction and Renovation Inc. serves the Front Range — Boulder, Weld, Larimer, Jefferson, and Douglas counties — including Longmont, Boulder, Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Firestone, Frederick, Mead, Erie, Windsor, Wellington, Golden, Arvada, Westminster, Thornton, Castle Rock, and more.
Get a free hail damage inspection
No pressure, no obligation — just a straight answer on whether your roof was hit:
Call 720-828-7997
Text 720-453-5095
Email joshbrooksconstruction@gmail.com
Licensed, local, and restoring Front Range roofs since 2014. Senior discounts available.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my roof has hail damage?
Look for granule loss and bald spots on shingles, cracked or bruised shingles, and dents on gutters, downspouts, vents, and metal flashing. Much hail damage is not visible from the ground, so a professional roof-level inspection is the only reliable way to know for sure. Josh Brooks Construction and Renovation Inc. offers free inspections across the Front Range.
Does homeowners insurance cover hail damage in Colorado?
Most Colorado homeowners policies cover sudden hail and wind damage. You are responsible for your deductible, and the payout depends on whether your policy is replacement cost (RCV) or actual cash value (ACV). Have the roof inspected, document the damage, and file within your policy’s window.
Can my roofer pay or “eat” my insurance deductible?
No. Under Colorado’s Residential Roofing Bill of Rights (Senate Bill 38, C.R.S. 6-22), it is illegal for a contractor to pay, waive, or rebate your insurance deductible. Anyone who offers to is breaking Colorado law, and it is one of the clearest signs of a storm chaser you should avoid.
How long do I have to file a hail damage claim in Colorado?
It depends on your policy, but many insurers allow up to one year from the date of the storm. Do not wait: damage worsens through the freeze-thaw of winter, and it is far easier to document and verify the storm date soon after it happens.
Are Class 4 impact-resistant shingles worth it in Colorado?
For the hail-prone Front Range, they are worth it for many homeowners. Class 4 (UL 2218) shingles resist impact far better than standard shingles, and many Colorado insurers offer a premium discount for installing an impact-resistant roof.
Do you offer free roof inspections?
Yes. Josh Brooks Construction and Renovation Inc. provides free, no-obligation hail damage inspections across the Colorado Front Range, with senior discounts available. Call 720-828-7997 or text 720-453-5095 to schedule.
Sources & references
Josh Brooks Construction and Renovation Inc. backs the guidance on this page with authoritative Colorado and industry sources:
- National Weather Service, Boulder/Denver — confirm storm dates for your area
- NOAA Storm Events Database — verify hail and wind events by date and county
- Colorado Division of Insurance — homeowner insurance claim guidance
- Colorado Senate Bill 38, Residential Roofing Bill of Rights (C.R.S. 6-22-101) — Colorado Roofing Association
- Owens Corning — Class 4 impact-resistant shingle products
- National Roofing Contractors Association — roofing standards
Colorado hail & insurance: by the numbers (2026)
- Colorado ranks #2 in the U.S. for hail insurance claims, behind only Texas.
- The Front Range sits in “Hail Alley,” the highest frequency of large hail in North America — about 7–9 hail days a year.
- A Colorado state analysis (Feb 2026) found hail is 26–54% of the homeowners premium depending on county — roughly 50% along the Front Range.
- The average Colorado premium hit about $6,630 in 2026, up ~100.8% since 2020 — the largest increase of any state.
- Colorado typically sees 3–4 catastrophic hailstorms a year (each ≥ $25M in insured damage); severe season runs mid-April to mid-September.
Sources: Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association (RMIIA); Colorado Division of Insurance (Feb 2026); National Weather Service; NAIC / Insurify (2026).
