Monongalia County, West Virginia · Morgantown
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Pipes freeze in Monongalia County on about 27 nights a year, mostly November to March. Older homes, 22% of the stock here, are most at risk.
October brings the most downpours to Monongalia County, part of 5.5 heavy-rain days a year. Check the sump first.
Sewage backups in Monongalia County spike on heavy-rain days, about 5.5 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Monongalia County's wettest day in the 2015–2024 record brought 2.66 inches, and about 88 freeze-thaw days a year mean ice dams in some winters.
6% of occupied homes in Monongalia County heat mainly with wood or propane, below the West Virginia county median of 10.1%.
Muggy summer nights, lows of 65°F or more, come about 25 times a year in Monongalia County. Mold after a leak spreads fastest from June through August.
Local risk profile
Monongalia County covers 360 square miles of northern West Virginia, with about 107,163 residents and 49,932 homes. Morgantown is the county seat; Cheat Lake, Brookhaven and Westover are the next largest communities. Much of its housing is recent, with a median build year of 1988.
34/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Monongalia County ranks 49 of 55 West Virginia counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Monongalia County ranks highest compared with other West Virginia counties.
Monongalia is on the colder side of West Virginia for pipes. It averaged 106 freezing nights a year over 2015–2024, 27 of them at 20°F or colder, cold enough for pipes in outside walls and crawl spaces to freeze. Among 55 West Virginia counties that's 19th.
On February 21, 2015 the low fell to about -6°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 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.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Oct 29 and the last spring freeze around Apr 24.
Monongalia gets fewer downpours than most West Virginia counties, but they still fill basements. The county gets about 46.5 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 5.5 days of an inch or more (49th of 55). Those downpours cluster in January, September and October, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 2.66 inches on July 29, 2017. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 4.89 inches (through September 11, 2018).
About 88 days a year swing from below freezing at night to above freezing by day. Those freeze-thaw cycles feed ice dams on roofs, open cracks in foundations and driveways, and stress pipes that are already marginal.
Housing
West Virginia's 55 counties range widely in housing age; Monongalia ranks 49th, with 41% of its homes built before 1980.
Since 2000 the county has added enough housing that 35% 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 24% 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 8% 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.
Renters occupy 42% 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
Monongalia County averages 25 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in July. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in Monongalia County's occupied homes: 52% utility gas, 40% electric, 5% propane and 1% wood. Most homes here heat with gas or electricity, so cooking and electrical faults are the likelier fire sources. Even a contained kitchen fire can send soot through the ductwork to every room.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Monongalia County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Preston gets more pipe-freeze nights than Monongalia. Wetzel County has the oldest housing nearby, with 72% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Monongalia | West Virginia median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 22% | 31% | 43 of 55 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 41% | 55% | 49 of 55 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 35% | 17% | 3 of 55 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 8.1% | 16% | 48 of 55 |
| Vacant homes | 11% | 17% | 49 of 55 |
| Wood or propane heat | 6.4% | 10% | 39 of 55 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 27/yr | 25/yr | 19 of 55 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 5.5/yr | 6.8/yr | 49 of 55 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 88/yr | 89/yr | 29 of 55 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 25/yr | 27/yr | 32 of 55 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest West Virginia county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Monongalia County: freezing from November to March, heavy rain in January, 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