Chenango County, New York · Norwich
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Pipes freeze in Chenango County on about 62 nights a year, mostly November to April. Older homes, 44% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 6.6 times a year here, most often in August. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which Chenango County gets about 6.6 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 102 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
28% of occupied homes in Chenango County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the New York county median of 19%.
About 6 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 46,321 people live in Chenango County, 893 square miles in central New York, in roughly 24,586 homes. Norwich is the county seat; Greene, Oxford and Sherburne are the next largest communities. The county's median home was built in 1967.
54/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Chenango County ranks 21 of 57 New York counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Chenango County ranks highest compared with other New York counties.
Chenango is on the colder side of New York for pipes. From 2015–2024 it averaged 62 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 150 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 17th of 57 counties.
On February 14, 2016 the low fell to about -18°F, and in the stretch ending March 2015 the county went 23 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 18 and the last spring freeze around May 10.
Rainfall is about average for New York. About 6.6 days a year bring an inch or more (22nd of 57), most often in August, out of 46.8 inches of total precipitation. On October 30, 2017, 2.34 inches fell in a single day. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 3.34 inches (through October 23, 2016).
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 102 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
New York's 57 counties range widely in housing age; Chenango ranks 35th, with 65% of its homes built before 1980.
Older and newer homes sit side by side here: 44% predate 1960 and 12% are from 2000 or later. Corroded pipe is the typical failure in the first group, burst supply hoses in the second.
About 23% of homes went up between 1980 and 1999. Some houses from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s were plumbed with polybutylene, a gray plastic pipe known for failing at fittings. A plumber can tell you in a few minutes whether you have it.
19% of homes are manufactured or mobile homes, above the New York county median of 7.6%. 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 19% 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
Chenango County averages 6 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in August. Keep indoor humidity under 60%, as the EPA advises, and dry any leak within 24 to 48 hours; in a humid month a wet basement left alone won't dry by itself.
Mold remediation: what to expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Chenango County it's 15% utility gas, 19% electric, 16% propane and 12% wood. Wood heat is above the New York 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 Chenango County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Delaware, Madison and Otsego get more pipe-freeze nights than Chenango. Broome County has the oldest housing nearby, with 79% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Chenango | New York median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 44% | 45% | 32 of 57 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 65% | 67% | 35 of 57 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 12% | 13% | 37 of 57 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 19% | 7.6% | 1 of 57 |
| Vacant homes | 19% | 14% | 20 of 57 |
| Wood or propane heat | 28% | 19% | 10 of 57 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 62/yr | 55/yr | 17 of 57 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 6.6/yr | 6/yr | 22 of 57 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 102/yr | 101/yr | 21 of 57 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 6/yr | 12/yr | 43 of 57 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest New York county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Chenango County: freezing from November to April, heavy rain in July, August 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