Benzie County, Michigan · Beulah
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Pipes freeze in Benzie County on about 57 nights a year, mostly November to April. Older homes, 23% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Basements flood here mostly in October. Benzie County averages 3.6 days a year with an inch of rain or more.
Sewage backups in Benzie County spike on heavy-rain days, about 3.6 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Benzie County's wettest day in the 2015–2024 record brought 2.68 inches, and about 96 freeze-thaw days a year mean ice dams in some winters.
46% of occupied homes in Benzie County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Michigan county median of 29%.
About 10 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
About 18,310 people live in Benzie County, 320 square miles in northern Lower Michigan, in roughly 12,326 homes. The county seat is Beulah, and Frankfort, Benzonia and Hardwood Acres round out the largest towns. Much of its housing is recent, with a median build year of 1985.
37/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Benzie County ranks 69 of 83 Michigan counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Benzie County ranks highest compared with other Michigan counties.
For frozen pipes, Benzie County is a typical Michigan county, which is still plenty. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 57 nights a year at or below 20°F (37th of 83) and 147 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
On February 20, 2015 the low fell to about -15°F, and in the stretch ending March 2015 the county went 27 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
The freeze season here runs November to April, 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 Oct 24 and the last spring freeze around May 7.
Rainfall is about average for Michigan. The county gets about 33.6 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 3.6 days of an inch or more (55th of 83). Those downpours cluster in August, September and October, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 2.68 inches on October 23, 2020. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 4.21 inches (through October 25, 2017).
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 96 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
44% of homes in Benzie County predate 1980, below the Michigan county median of 58.4%, which ranks 78th of Michigan's 83 counties.
Since 2000 the county has added enough housing that 23% of homes are that new. Modern PEX and copper rarely fail on their own; the leaks come from connections, appliances and storms.
33% 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.
7% of homes are manufactured or mobile homes, close to the Michigan county median of 7.3%. Their water lines run under the floor behind the skirting, so a torn skirt or failed heat tape freezes them faster than lines in a site-built house.
With 38% 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
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 10 times a year here, close to the Michigan county median of 10. 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 expectMain heating fuel in Benzie County's occupied homes: 41% utility gas, 10% electric, 38% propane and 8% wood. Propane heat is above the Michigan 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 Benzie County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Grand Traverse gets more pipe-freeze nights than Benzie. All of its neighbors see more heavy-rain days. Manistee County has the oldest housing nearby, with 62% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Benzie | Michigan median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 23% | 32% | 70 of 83 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 44% | 58% | 78 of 83 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 23% | 16% | 8 of 83 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 7% | 7.3% | 44 of 83 |
| Vacant homes | 38% | 20% | 17 of 83 |
| Wood or propane heat | 46% | 29% | 16 of 83 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 57/yr | 54/yr | 37 of 83 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 3.6/yr | 3.9/yr | 55 of 83 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 96/yr | 95/yr | 37 of 83 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 10/yr | 10/yr | 42 of 83 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Michigan county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Benzie County: freezing from November to April, heavy rain in August, September and October.
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