What makes Salem different
- Wetter than Portland. Salem averages 40.08 inches of rain a year, versus 36.92 in Portland, and gets 6.2 days a year with an inch or more of rain, versus 4.3 (NOAA, NWS).
- More hard freezes. Salem averages 49.4 nights a year at or below 32°F, about half again as many as Portland's 31.7 (NOAA). That's more nights for crawlspace and exterior-wall pipes to freeze.
- The 2021 ice storm hit here. Marion and Polk counties were included in the federal disaster declaration for the February 2021 storms (FEMA).
- Creeks flood fast. In January 2012, more than nine inches of rain fell in south Salem in five days, flooding the Battle, Mill, Pringle and Croisan creek basins. About 300 people were evacuated and 64 city streets closed (City of Salem).
- The Willamette. In February 1996 the river at Salem crested at 35.09 feet, its highest since 1964 (NWS), and Salem filed almost a third of Marion County's flood insurance claims that year (City of Salem).
Santiam Canyon wildfire smoke
The 2020 Beachie Creek Fire burned 193,556 acres in the Santiam Canyon east of Salem (USFS). Homes across the mid-valley dealt with ash and smoke residue. If you're cleaning ash, wear an N95, mist surfaces before wiping, and skip the leaf blower (Oregon DEQ/OHA, EPA).
Salem homes
The median Salem home was built in 1980, and about half were built before 1980 (U.S. Census ACS). That's younger than Portland's housing, but plenty of supply lines, water heaters and roofs are reaching the end of their service life.
What we line up crews for in Salem and Keizer
- Water damage: extraction, drying and moisture documentation
- Burst and frozen pipes
- Fire, smoke and wildfire ash cleanup
- Sewage backup cleanup
Areas we cover
- Downtown Salem
- South Salem
- West Salem
- Northeast Salem
- Keizer
- Turner
- Independence and Monmouth
- Silverton and Stayton
Salem and Keizer questions
Do you cover Keizer and West Salem?
Yes, plus nearby towns including Turner, Independence, Monmouth, Silverton and Stayton. Send your ZIP code and we'll confirm.
My street flooded. Will homeowners insurance pay?
Probably not for the flood itself. Most homeowners policies don't cover flooding from rising water; that needs flood insurance (Oregon DFR, NAIC). Water from a burst pipe or roof leak is different and typically covered.