Flood risk and storm water in Troy
Plain answers for Troy homes, drawn from the data behind the area's water damage calls.
In Troy, 4% 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
Your call, step by step
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 Troy area.
With about 36 inches of snow a year in Troy's ZIP codes, snowmelt and ice along roof edges can push water into ceilings and walls.
What the flood figures say for Troy
Troy files more flood claims per home than Oakland County does. FEMA flood insurance records show 1.1 claims per 1,000 homes from 2016 to 2025, against 0.2 for the county and 0.7 for Michigan. When a claim was paid in the county, the average building payment was $28,225, close to the state's $28,549.
Winter drives much of the water. NOAA climate normals give Troy about 36 inches of snow a year, 47 days that stay below freezing and 135 nights at or below 32 degrees. Snowmelt and spring rain on frozen ground push water toward basement walls. Heavy rain is less common here, at about 5 days a year with an inch or more. FEMA's National Risk Index puts the yearly inland flood loss at $55 per $100,000 of building value, near the county's 52. Oakland County has had 5 major disaster declarations for floods and storms since 2000.
Only 0.3% of county homes carry federal flood insurance. Water that seeps in from outside is Category 3, carrying soil and runoff, and standard homeowners policies exclude it, so only flood insurance covers it. A sewer backup through a floor drain usually needs a separate endorsement, so check your own policy. In the Troy area, the restoration crew handles a backup with sewage cleanup steps, removing soaked materials before drying.
FEMA and NOAA figures for Troy
About 87,307 people live in Troy; calls for its area come from 255 ZIP codes.
Weather records near Troy's ZIP codes show about 52 nights a year at 20 degrees or colder.
The weather station nearest Troy's ZIP codes records about 135 nights a year at 32 degrees or colder, against 138 across Oakland County.
Days that stay below freezing come about 47 times a year in Troy's ZIP codes, compared with 50 across Michigan.
- 34,997 Housing units
- 87,307 Residents
- 4% Homes built before 1950Oakland County: 13%
- 36 Average snowfall a year, in inchesOakland County: 41
- 52 Nights a year at or below 20 degreesOakland County: 56
- 135 Nights a year at or below 32 degreesOakland County: 138
- 55 Yearly inland flood loss per $100,000 of building valueOakland County: 52
- 1% Mobile and manufactured homesOakland County: 3%
- 26% Homes that are rentedOakland County: 28%
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.
Getting ready in Troy
Troy averages 36 inches of snow a year by NOAA climate normals, and every inch of it becomes water at the foundation when it melts. Before winter, clear out each downspout and extend it well past the house, then check in spring that frozen ground has not left low spots against the walls. Keep snow shoveled back from basement walls and window wells.
Census figures show 61% of homes here were built before 1980, and older basements depend on a sump pump. Test it by pouring water into the pit until it starts, and add a battery backup, since ice storms and spring storms both cut power. Clear and cover window wells. Lift boxes and electronics off the basement floor, and keep keepsakes on shelves.
Check FEMA's flood map for your lot, even outside a mapped zone. FEMA notes a 30-day waiting period before a new flood policy takes effect, so buy it before the thaw. Ask your agent whether your homeowners policy includes sewer and drain backup.
With 135 nights a year at or below 32 degrees, pipes in exterior walls and crawlspaces need insulation too. If water does get in, cut power to the basement, photograph everything and call for water mitigation so drying starts within 24 to 48 hours. In a finished basement, carpet water extraction in place works only when the water came from a clean supply line. Rental owners with houses nearby can add water removal in Warren to the same call.
Getting your paperwork ready in Troy
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.
Flood questions in Troy
What does a FEMA flood risk rating mean for my Troy home?
How do I keep storm water out of a Troy basement?
Is flood cleanup different from other water damage?
What should I do after floodwater gets into my Troy home?
Where can I check the flood zone for a Troy address?
More Troy guides
water damage cost guide around Troy
Price ranges, cost drivers and estimate checks for Troy homes.
guide to insurance and water damage for Troy
Which kinds of water damage insurance usually pays for in Troy, and how to document a claim.
Troy guide to the first hour after water damage
The first hour after a leak or flood in Troy: what to shut off, what to photograph and what to move.
Troy guide to burst and frozen pipes
Why pipes burst in Troy homes, what freezing nights and older plumbing mean, and what to do first.
One call for water damage in Troy
Calls answered 24/7. The estimate is in writing before work begins.