What makes Portland different
- Old houses. The median Portland home was built in 1966, and about 27% of homes date to before 1940 (U.S. Census ACS). Older supply lines, cast-iron drains and aging roofs are behind a lot of water calls.
- A long wet season. Portland airport averages 36.92 inches of rain a year, about 74% of it October through March, with measurable rain on 157 days (NOAA).
- Ice storms. In January 2024, Portland Water Bureau crews answered more than 1,250 calls for service in three and a half days (Portland Water Bureau), and Multnomah County was included in the federal disaster declaration for that storm (Oregon OEM).
- Johnson Creek. In outer Southeast, Foster Road historically flooded about every other year. Restoration work finished in 2012 was designed to cut that to about every six to eight years, but in December 2015 the creek still crested at a record 15.33 feet (Portland BES).
- River history. In February 1996 the Willamette at Portland crested at 28.55 feet, its highest since 1964 (NWS), and the Steel Bridge closed for nearly 48 hours (USGS).
Portland Water Bureau: who fixes what
The Water Bureau owns and maintains the pipes up to and including the water meter. Anything past the meter is the property owner's responsibility. For a break on the street side, or a leak you can't shut off, call the Water Bureau's 24-hour line at 503-823-4874, option 1 (Portland Water Bureau).
Wildfire smoke in Portland
On September 13, 2020, Portland's air quality index hit 477, a record, during the Labor Day fires (Oregon DEQ / LRAPA). Homes that never burned still collected ash and smoke residue. Our fire and smoke guide covers safe cleanup.
What we line up crews for in Portland
- Water damage: extraction, drying and moisture documentation
- Burst and frozen pipes
- Fire, smoke and wildfire ash cleanup
- Sewage backup cleanup
Areas we cover
- Downtown and the Pearl
- Northwest and the West Hills
- North Portland and St. Johns
- Northeast and Alberta
- Southeast and Sellwood
- Foster-Powell and Lents
- Southwest and Multnomah Village
- Outer East Portland
Portland questions
Do you cover all of Portland?
Yes, every quadrant inside the city, plus nearby cities in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.
My basement floods every winter. Is that covered by insurance?
It depends on the source. Sudden plumbing leaks are typically covered; groundwater seepage and flooding generally aren't (Oregon DFR). Recurring seepage usually needs drainage or grading fixes, not just cleanup.