Switzerland County, Indiana · Vevay
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With 24% of homes built before 1960 and about 21 hard-freeze nights a year, frozen and split pipes are a leading winter risk in the county.
March brings the most downpours to Switzerland County, part of 10 heavy-rain days a year. Check the sump first.
24% of homes here predate 1960, when clay and cast iron sewer laterals were standard. Roots and cracks in those lines are a common cause of backups.
In Switzerland County, 2.96 inches fell on the wettest day of the 2015–2024 record. Storms like that, and ice dams in snowy winters, cause most roof leaks.
30% of occupied homes in Switzerland County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Indiana county median of 17%.
Muggy summer nights, lows of 65°F or more, come about 66 times a year in Switzerland County. Mold after a leak spreads fastest from June through August.
Local risk profile
With 4,456 homes and around 9,909 residents, Switzerland County is 221 square miles of southeast Indiana. Besides Vevay, the county seat, the biggest communities are Lamb, East Enterprise and Patriot. Much of its housing is recent, with a median build year of 1990.
40/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Switzerland County ranks 82 of 92 Indiana counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Switzerland County ranks highest compared with other Indiana counties.
Switzerland County is milder than most of Indiana, but not mild enough to skip winterizing. From 2015–2024 it averaged 21 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 81 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 87th of 92 counties.
On February 21, 2015 the low fell to about -11°F, and in the stretch ending January 2018 the county went 13 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
The freeze season here runs December to February, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Nov 5 and the last spring freeze around Apr 7.
Heavy rain is a bigger factor here than in most of Indiana. Of roughly 50.4 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 10 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 25th of 92. February, March and April see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 2.96 inches, September 2, 2017. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 4.07 inches (through September 29, 2024).
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 68 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
Indiana's 92 counties range widely in housing age; Switzerland ranks 86th, with 41% of its homes built before 1980.
Since 2000 the county has added enough housing that 24% of homes are that new. Modern PEX and copper rarely fail on their own; the leaks come from connections, appliances 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 18% 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.
13% of homes were vacant at survey time. A leak in an empty rental or seasonal house can run for days before anyone notices, which is why those losses tend to be larger.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 66 times a year here, above the Indiana county median of 38. 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, Switzerland County homes break down as 13% utility gas, 52% electric, 23% propane and 7% wood. Wood and propane heat are more common here than in most Indiana 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 Switzerland County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Every neighboring county gets more pipe-freeze nights than Switzerland. It also has the most heavy-rain days in its area. Jefferson County has the oldest housing nearby, with 65% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Switzerland | Indiana median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 24% | 35% | 75 of 92 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 41% | 58% | 86 of 92 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 24% | 18% | 17 of 92 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 18% | 6.4% | 3 of 92 |
| Vacant homes | 13% | 9.2% | 15 of 92 |
| Wood or propane heat | 30% | 17% | 14 of 92 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 21/yr | 33/yr | 87 of 92 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 10/yr | 7.8/yr | 25 of 92 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 68/yr | 84/yr | 89 of 92 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 66/yr | 38/yr | 5 of 92 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Indiana county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Switzerland County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in February, March and April.
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