Laclede County, Missouri · Lebanon
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Pipes freeze in Laclede County on about 24 nights a year, mostly December to February. Older homes, 23% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Basements flood here mostly in August. Laclede County averages 11.6 days a year with an inch of rain or more.
23% 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.
Laclede County's wettest day in the 2015–2024 record brought 5.32 inches, and about 75 freeze-thaw days a year mean ice dams in some winters.
25% of occupied homes in Laclede County heat mainly with wood or propane, close to the Missouri county median of 24.5%.
About 64 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 36,390 people live in Laclede County, 765 square miles in central Missouri, in roughly 16,012 homes. Besides Lebanon, the county seat, the biggest communities are Conway, Phillipsburg and Bennett Springs. Half the homes here were built before 1984, half after.
46/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Laclede County ranks 73 of 114 Missouri counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Laclede County ranks highest compared with other Missouri counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Laclede County sits near the middle of the state. From 2015–2024 it averaged 24 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 87 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 70th of 114 counties.
Cold snaps are the real risk. The worst in the record lasted 12 days below freezing (ending February 2021), and the low bottomed out near -11°F on February 16, 2021.
Most freezing nights fall from December to February, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 25 and end around Apr 9.
Rainfall is about average for Missouri. Of roughly 47 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 11.6 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 44th of 114. May, July and August see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 5.32 inches, December 27, 2015. The worst three-day stretch dropped 9.27 inches, ending December 29, 2015, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 75 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
44% of homes in Laclede County predate 1980, below the Missouri county median of 53%, which ranks 88th of Missouri's 114 counties.
Since 2000 the county has added enough housing that 28% of homes are that new. Modern PEX and copper rarely fail on their own; the leaks come from connections, appliances and storms.
28% 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.
14% of homes are manufactured or mobile homes, above the Missouri county median of 9.8%. 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.
Renters occupy 32% of homes. If you rent, the building is usually the landlord's to repair, but your belongings are only covered by renters insurance.
Beyond water
Laclede County averages 64 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in May. 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 Laclede County it's 11% utility gas, 63% electric, 19% propane and 6% wood. Heating equipment, cooking and electrical failures cause most home fires nationally. Even a small kitchen fire can leave soot through the whole house, because smoke follows air currents into closets, ducts and attic space.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Laclede County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Dallas and Webster get more pipe-freeze nights than Laclede. Wright County has the oldest housing nearby, with 53% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Laclede | Missouri median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 23% | 25% | 68 of 114 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 44% | 53% | 88 of 114 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 28% | 21% | 22 of 114 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 14% | 9.8% | 25 of 114 |
| Vacant homes | 9.1% | 15% | 94 of 114 |
| Wood or propane heat | 25% | 25% | 64 of 114 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 24/yr | 28/yr | 70 of 114 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 12/yr | 10/yr | 44 of 114 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 75/yr | 77/yr | 72 of 114 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 64/yr | 65/yr | 58 of 114 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Missouri county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Laclede County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in May, July and August.
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