Water Risk Profile — ZIP 44308
Flood risk, local cost data, climate factors, and insurance context for your ZIP code.
Flood Risk
Medium
Cost Range
$1,500–$8,500
Avg Response
42 min
NFIP
State participates
Local Climate & Risk Factors
Akron area water damage risk includes Ohio's seasonal variety: winter pipe freeze events and ice dams from lake-effect weather, spring Ohio River and tributary flooding, summer convective storm flash floods, and fall basement moisture from high groundwater tables following wet summers. Older Ohio housing stock (Cincinnati's pre-1900 rowhouses, Cleveland's aging bungalows) has aging plumbing infrastructure and cast iron drain systems that crack and allow groundwater intrusion. Northeast Ohio's snowbelt communities should prioritize attic insulation and ventilation to prevent ice dam water damage.
Flood-prone areas: Kenmore and Middlebury sit in the Cuyahoga River valley and are the two most frequently flooded residential neighborhoods in Akron — both saw significant inundation during the spring 2011 and 2019 flood events when the river rose over 10 feet above flood stage, damaging hundreds of older homes. Firestone Park's 1920s-era combined sewer infrastructure backs up into basements 8–12 times per year during heavy summer thunderstorms, a problem the city has been working to address through separate sewer projects.
Water Category Cost Table — Akron, OH
Extraction & drying cost per square foot by IICRC water category
| Water Category | $/sq ft |
|---|---|
| Category 1 — Clean Burst supply line, clean appliance overflow | $2.72–$6.74 |
| Category 2 — Gray Dishwasher, washing machine, toilet bowl (no feces) | $6.74–$8.16 |
| Category 3 — Black Sewage backup, floodwater, toilet overflow with feces | $9.59–$12.1 |
Estimates exclude reconstruction (drywall, flooring replacement). National benchmarks: Cat 1 $3.75–$4.25, Cat 2 $4.10–$6.50, Cat 3 $7–$7.50/sq ft — adjusted for Akron market (3.2–11/sq ft range).