How often floodwater reaches Decatur homes
What Decatur homeowners and renters should check first, with a source for every figure.
In Decatur, 31% of homes were built before 1950, when walls were often finished in plaster rather than drywall.
- Calls answered 24/7
- Written estimate before work starts
- Water removal, drying and repair
What happens when you call
Call (833) 728-2327
Say what is wet, where the water came from and whether it is still running. The call is answered any hour.
Stop the source
If water is still coming in, you are walked through the shutoff valve or the breaker first.
Inspection and written estimate
The crew checks the water category, measures moisture in walls and floors, photographs the damage and writes the estimate before work starts.
Written for homeowners in the Decatur area.
In Decatur's ZIP codes, the average building payment on a flood claim was $11,331 over 2016 to 2025, compared with $32,660 across Georgia.
Flood risk in Decatur, in short
Decatur's flood figures run above DeKalb County's on frequency and below it on size. FEMA flood insurance records show 1.5 claims per 1,000 homes in the city from 2016 to 2025, against 1.0 for the county and 1.6 for Georgia, while the average building payment was $11,331, against $21,976 countywide. FEMA's National Risk Index puts yearly inland flood loss at 76 per $100,000 of building value, against 67 for the county. Together those figures point to more frequent, shallower water, such as a few inches in a basement or crawl space rather than a flooded first floor.
Rain drives it. NOAA climate normals show about 15 days a year with an inch of rain or more, DeKalb County logged 10 days with flash flood or flood reports from 2016 to 2025, and the county has had 5 major disaster declarations for floods and storms since 2000. With 31% of homes built before 1950, older foundations and basement walls let water seep in during that kind of rain.
Even shallow floodwater is Category 3. It carries soil, runoff and sewage, so soaked drywall, insulation and carpet are removed and the area is disinfected before drying. A homeowners policy does not cover it, and 1.1% of DeKalb homes carry federal flood insurance. If water rises into a basement in the Decatur area, ask for water removal and have the crew photograph the water line first.
Flood and weather figures for Decatur
The city of Decatur counts about 24,470 residents, by the Census; the figures below are its own.
FEMA's National Risk Index expects inland flooding to cost about $76 a year for every $100,000 of building value in Decatur's ZIP codes.
Homes built before 1980 make up 54% of the housing in Decatur; across DeKalb County the share is 45%.
34% of homes in Decatur are rented, against 42% across DeKalb County. If you rent, tell your landlord or property manager about the leak right away.
- 31% Homes built before 1950DeKalb County: 6%
- 10,475 Housing units
- 24,470 Residents
- 76 Yearly inland flood loss per $100,000 of building valueDeKalb County: 67
- 54% Homes built before 1980DeKalb County: 45%
- 34% Homes that are rentedDeKalb County: 42%
- 35% Homes in buildings with 5 or more unitsDeKalb County: 30%
- 46 Nights a year at or below 32 degreesDeKalb County: 48
- 2% Homes kept for seasonal or occasional useDeKalb County: 0%
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-year estimates; FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, claims from 2016 to 2025 (not endorsed by FEMA); FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates v1 (not endorsed by FEMA); FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, December 2025 (not endorsed by FEMA); NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, nearest weather station; FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 (not endorsed by FEMA); NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 2016 to 2025.
Before the next storm in Decatur
Census figures show 31% of Decatur homes were built before 1950, and many of those houses have basements, original window wells and older sewer lines. Storm prep starts outside. Clear out each downspout and extend it so water lands well away from the foundation, and fill low spots where water collects against the walls.
Test the sump pump by pouring water into the pit until it switches on, and add a battery backup for storms that cut power. Clear leaves out of window wells and add covers. In an older home, ask a plumber about a backwater valve on the sewer line, because heavy rain can push sewage back up through a floor drain. Lift boxes, tools and papers off the basement floor.
Look up your flood zone on FEMA's flood map. FEMA notes a 30-day waiting period before a new flood policy takes effect, so it has to be in place before the storm. Renters, who live in 34% of the city's homes, need their own contents coverage.
With 46 nights a year at or below 32 degrees, winter brings a second risk: pipes in older exterior walls can freeze and split. If water gets in from either source, cut power to wet rooms, photograph everything and start drying within 24 to 48 hours. Backed-up sewage needs professional cleanup, and water damage repair follows once the structure is dry. If you also own a home in another town, water removal in Tucker is arranged the same way.
Getting your paperwork ready in Decatur
Before storm season, look up your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center to see its flood zone, and keep a copy. Walk through the house with your phone and record each room, including the basement, the furnace and the water heater. Keep your policy numbers, the main water shutoff location and the breaker panel location written down somewhere you can reach without power. Move papers, photos and electronics off basement floors. If a flood comes, those records make cleanup and any claim faster, and they help the restoration company see what the rooms looked like before the water. Floodwater that reached hardwood or laminate usually means floor water damage repair after drying.
What Decatur callers ask about floods
What does a FEMA flood risk rating mean for my Decatur home?
How do I keep storm water out of a Decatur basement?
Is flood cleanup different from other water damage?
What should I do after floodwater gets into my Decatur home?
Where can I check the flood zone for a Decatur address?
More Decatur guides
Decatur water damage cost guide
Price ranges, cost drivers and estimate checks for Decatur homes.
the Decatur guide to insurance and water damage
Which kinds of water damage insurance usually pays for in Decatur, and how to document a claim.
Decatur guide to the first hour after water damage
The first hour after a leak or flood in Decatur: what to shut off, what to photograph and what to move.
guide to burst and frozen pipes for Decatur
Why pipes burst in Decatur homes, what freezing nights and older plumbing mean, and what to do first.
One call for water damage in Decatur
Answered 24/7, with a written estimate before any work starts.