Washington County, Alabama · Chatom
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Washington County averages 2 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly midwinter, and 14% of its homes predate 1960.
Basements flood here mostly in March. Washington County averages 19.6 days a year with an inch of rain or more.
Sewage backups in Washington County spike on heavy-rain days, about 19.6 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 24 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
15% of occupied homes in Washington County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Alabama county median of 9.9%.
Muggy summer nights, lows of 65°F or more, come about 133 times a year in Washington County. Mold after a leak spreads fastest from June through August.
Local risk profile
Washington County covers 1,080 square miles of southwest Alabama, with about 15,143 residents and 7,797 homes. The county seat is Chatom, and Leroy, Millry and McIntosh round out the largest towns. Half the homes here were built before 1984, half after.
59/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Washington County ranks 18 of 67 Alabama counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Washington County ranks highest compared with other Alabama counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Washington County sits near the middle of the state. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 2 nights a year at or below 20°F (37th of 67) and 24 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
Hard freezes are uncommon here, about 24 nights a year at or below 32°F, and that's exactly why they do damage: pipes in attics, exterior walls and slab-edge plumbing are rarely insulated. The coldest night in the record was about 15°F on January 17, 2018.
Heavy rain is a bigger factor here than in most of Alabama. The county gets about 64.5 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 19.6 days of an inch or more (1st of 67). Those downpours cluster in March, April and June, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 4.68 inches on June 8, 2020. The worst three-day stretch dropped 8.43 inches, ending January 3, 2017, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 24 times a year here. They're the main driver of ice dams and of water working its way through foundation cracks in late winter.
Housing
45% of homes in Washington County predate 1980, close to the Alabama county median of 43.5%, which ranks 29th of Alabama's 67 counties.
The mix runs from 14% built before 1960 to 23% built since 2000, so older neighborhoods bring aging pipe while newer subdivisions bring failed appliance lines and water heaters.
32% date from 1980 to 1999, the window when polybutylene, a gray flexible plastic supply pipe, was used in some homes. It's prone to leaks at the fittings, so it's worth checking for in a house from those years.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 28% 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.
With 24% of homes empty at survey time, landlords and seasonal owners should shut off the main or schedule checks in winter. An unheated vacant house is also where many policies limit freeze coverage.
Beyond water
Washington County averages 133 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in June. 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 expectBy main heating fuel, Washington County homes break down as 6% utility gas, 78% electric, 12% propane and 4% wood. Wood heat is above the Alabama norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Washington County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Washington gets more pipe-freeze nights than any of its neighbors. It also has the most heavy-rain days in its area. Mobile County has the oldest housing nearby, with 51% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Washington | Alabama median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 14% | 16% | 43 of 67 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 45% | 44% | 29 of 67 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 23% | 23% | 32 of 67 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 28% | 22% | 14 of 67 |
| Vacant homes | 24% | 16% | 19 of 67 |
| Wood or propane heat | 15% | 9.9% | 19 of 67 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 2/yr | 3/yr | 37 of 67 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 20/yr | 15/yr | 1 of 67 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 24/yr | 38/yr | 57 of 67 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 133/yr | 112/yr | 9 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 Washington County: freezing from midwinter, heavy rain in March, April and June.
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