Lowndes County, Alabama · Hayneville
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Lowndes County averages 2 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly midwinter, and 10% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 14.9 times a year here, most often in January. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Lowndes County spike on heavy-rain days, about 14.9 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 28 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
28% of occupied homes in Lowndes County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Alabama county median of 9.9%.
With 129 muggy nights a year, mold in Lowndes County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
About 9,833 people live in Lowndes County, 716 square miles in central Alabama, in roughly 4,847 homes. Besides Hayneville, the county seat, the biggest communities are Fort Deposit, White Hall and Mosses. Much of its housing is recent, with a median build year of 1991.
36/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Lowndes County ranks 59 of 67 Alabama counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Lowndes County ranks highest compared with other Alabama counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Lowndes County sits near the middle of the state. From 2015–2024 it averaged 2 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 28 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 37th of 67 counties.
The freeze season here runs midwinter, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
Freezing nights typically start around Nov 20 and end around Mar 5.
Rainfall is about average for Alabama. Of roughly 56.3 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 14.9 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 36th of 67. January, February and March see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 3.47 inches, March 9, 2024. The worst three-day stretch dropped 6.82 inches, ending January 3, 2017, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 28 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
Alabama's 67 counties range widely in housing age; Lowndes ranks 56th, with 36% of its homes built before 1980.
29% of homes were built in 2000 or later, more than in most of Alabama. Newer plumbing rarely corrodes, so damage here tends to come from appliance supply lines, water heaters, sump pumps and storms.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 35% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 37% of the housing here. Water lines in the underbelly depend on intact skirting and working heat tape, and they're usually the first to freeze in a cold snap.
Beyond water
Lowndes County averages 129 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in January. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%. Basements can pass 60% on their own in summer, so a dehumidifier matters even without a leak, and anything wet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold remediation: what to expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Lowndes County it's 5% utility gas, 66% electric, 27% propane and 1% wood. Propane heat is more common here than in most Alabama counties. Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires nationally, and the NFPA recommends having chimneys and vents inspected every year.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Lowndes County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Lowndes gets more pipe-freeze nights than any of its neighbors. Dallas County has the oldest housing nearby, with 56% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Lowndes | Alabama median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 10% | 16% | 59 of 67 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 36% | 44% | 56 of 67 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 29% | 23% | 15 of 67 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 37% | 22% | 4 of 67 |
| Vacant homes | 12% | 16% | 57 of 67 |
| Wood or propane heat | 28% | 9.9% | 2 of 67 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 2/yr | 3/yr | 37 of 67 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 15/yr | 15/yr | 36 of 67 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 28/yr | 38/yr | 49 of 67 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 129/yr | 112/yr | 14 of 67 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Alabama county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Lowndes County: freezing from midwinter, heavy rain in January, February and March.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology