Pepin County, Wisconsin · Durand
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Pepin County averages 76 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to April, and 41% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 6.8 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 Pepin County gets about 6.8 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
In Pepin County, 3.53 inches fell on the wettest day of the 2015–2024 record. Storms like that, and ice dams in snowy winters, cause most roof leaks.
53% of occupied homes in Pepin County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Wisconsin county median of 32.9%.
About 17 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 7,431 people live in Pepin County, 232 square miles in western Wisconsin, in roughly 3,606 homes. The county seat is Durand, and Pepin, Arkansaw and Stockholm round out the largest towns. Half the homes here were built before 1970, half after.
70/100 Water Damage Risk Index: High Pepin County ranks 2 of 72 Wisconsin counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Pepin County ranks highest compared with other Wisconsin counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Pepin County sits near the middle of the state. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 76 nights a year at or below 20°F (33rd of 72) and 154 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
On January 31, 2019 the low fell to about -35°F, and in the stretch ending January 2018 the county went 19 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.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 19 and end around May 3.
Rainfall is about average for Wisconsin. About 6.8 days a year bring an inch or more (30th of 72), most often in August, out of 35.9 inches of total precipitation. On August 11, 2016, 3.53 inches fell in a single day. The worst three-day stretch dropped 4.16 inches, ending August 13, 2016, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 92 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
64% of homes in Pepin County predate 1980, above the Wisconsin county median of 54.1%, which ranks 11th of Wisconsin's 72 counties.
Before 1960 is when 41% 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.
The Census counted 16% of homes as vacant, above the Wisconsin county median of 12%. Empty houses are where a small leak turns into a large claim, because nobody is there to hear it.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 17 times a year here, above the Wisconsin county median of 11. 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 expectBy main heating fuel, Pepin County homes break down as 28% utility gas, 13% electric, 40% propane and 13% wood. Wood and propane heat are above the Wisconsin 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 Pepin County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Dunn, Eau Claire and Pierce get more pipe-freeze nights than Pepin. Buffalo County has the oldest housing nearby, with 65% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Pepin | Wisconsin median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 41% | 31% | 7 of 72 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 64% | 54% | 11 of 72 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 22% | 21% | 33 of 72 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 4% | 4.8% | 44 of 72 |
| Vacant homes | 16% | 12% | 31 of 72 |
| Wood or propane heat | 53% | 33% | 10 of 72 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 76/yr | 73/yr | 33 of 72 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 6.8/yr | 6.3/yr | 30 of 72 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 92/yr | 94/yr | 44 of 72 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 17/yr | 11/yr | 18 of 72 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Wisconsin county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Pepin County: freezing from November to April, heavy rain in May, June 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