Genesee County, New York · Batavia
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Genesee County averages 48 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to March, and 54% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 3.8 times a year here, most often in October. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Genesee County spike on heavy-rain days, about 3.8 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 89 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
14% of occupied homes in Genesee County heat mainly with wood or propane, below the New York county median of 19%.
About 18 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 57,787 people live in Genesee County, 493 square miles in western New York, in roughly 26,176 homes. Besides Batavia, the county seat, the biggest communities are Le Roy, Oakfield and Bergen. It has some of the oldest housing in the state: the median home went up in 1956.
46/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Genesee County ranks 36 of 57 New York counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Genesee County ranks highest compared with other New York counties.
Winters here are on the gentler end for New York, and pipes still freeze. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 48 nights a year at or below 20°F (41st of 57) and 130 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
On February 14, 2016 the low fell to about -14°F, and in the stretch ending March 2015 the county went 32 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
The freeze season here runs November to March, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 26 and end around May 2.
Genesee gets fewer downpours than most New York counties, but they still fill basements. The county gets about 36.9 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 3.8 days of an inch or more (51st of 57). Those downpours cluster in June, July and October, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 2.09 inches on November 12, 2022. The worst three-day stretch dropped 3.07 inches, ending October 22, 2016, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 89 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
New York's 57 counties range widely in housing age; Genesee ranks 6th, with 77% of its homes built before 1980.
Before 1960 is when 54% of these homes went up. Galvanized supply lines and cast iron drains were standard then, and after 60-plus years both corrode and crack, often out of sight inside a wall or under a slab.
Beyond water
Genesee County averages 18 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in October. 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 Genesee County's occupied homes: 62% utility gas, 13% electric, 12% propane and 2% wood. Fires here are likelier to start in the kitchen or the wiring than in the furnace. After any fire, keep the HVAC off until ducts are checked, or soot will travel through the house.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Genesee County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Wyoming gets more pipe-freeze nights than Genesee. Its housing is the oldest in the area by share of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Genesee | New York median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 54% | 45% | 11 of 57 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 77% | 67% | 6 of 57 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 8.6% | 13% | 50 of 57 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 5.5% | 7.6% | 38 of 57 |
| Vacant homes | 5% | 14% | 55 of 57 |
| Wood or propane heat | 14% | 19% | 37 of 57 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 48/yr | 55/yr | 41 of 57 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 3.8/yr | 6/yr | 51 of 57 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 89/yr | 101/yr | 45 of 57 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 18/yr | 12/yr | 13 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 Genesee County: freezing from November to March, heavy rain in June, July 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