The Gwinnett County Water Damage Report

The report combines NOAA storm event records, FEMA flood context, Census housing-age data, Insurance Information Institute claims statistics, EPA mold guidance, and Water Pro Inc. field observations. Its central finding is that most professional water damage work in Gwinnett County comes from internal failures such as pipes, water heaters, appliances, and slow leaks rather than storms.

• FEMA data cited in the report shows one-third of NFIP claims from 2013-2023 came from outside designated high-risk flood zones nationally.
• Applying the Insurance Information Institute's 1-in-67 annual water damage claim rate to 351,100 Gwinnett housing units yields an estimated 5,240 claims per year.
• EPA guidance indicates mold colonization can begin within 24 to 48 hours after water intrusion under typical conditions.
• ACS 2024 data shows 278,468 Gwinnett housing units, or 79.3%, were built before 2010 and carry some elevated internal water damage risk.
• Water Pro Inc. reports that more than 90% of its Gwinnett County water damage jobs are caused by internal failures rather than storms.

Study ID

ASBRC-2026-004

Research Partner

Water Pro Inc.

Geography

Gwinnett County, Georgia

Industry

Water damage restoration

Research Area

Risk & Preparedness

Primary Data Sources

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, Gwinnett County, 2015-2024, FEMA NFIP and floodplain information, U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 Table B25034, Insurance Information Institute 2025 claims statistics, EPA mold remediation guidance, Water Pro Inc. field experience

Publication Date

June 2026

Status

Published

This report explains why Gwinnett County water damage risk is often driven by internal home failures, not storms, and combines public data with Water Pro Inc.'s local field experience.

For Gwinnett homeowners and small businesses, water damage planning should focus on internal failures, aging housing systems, shutoff readiness, and rapid response timelines, not only storm or flood exposure.

The report uses NOAA NCEI storm event records for Gwinnett County from 2015 through 2024, FEMA NFIP and floodplain information, ACS 2024 housing-age data, Insurance Information Institute claims statistics, EPA mold guidance, and structured expert interview material from Water Pro Inc.

Several local water damage estimates are modeled from national claim rates, county housing-unit counts, cited public sources, and stated assumptions. FEMA and NOAA data do not capture every private water loss, uninsured loss, or unreported event. The report is informational and does not constitute legal, insurance, engineering, or property-specific advice.

• NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, Gwinnett County, 2015-2024
• FEMA NFIP and floodplain information
• U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 Table B25034
• Insurance Information Institute 2025 claims statistics
• EPA mold remediation guidance
• Water Pro Inc. field experience

Andrew Foray of Water Pro Inc. stated that less than 10% of the company's jobs are storm-related and emphasized prevention steps including water-heater maintenance, hose bib shutoffs, knowing the main water shutoff, and shutting off water before vacations.

• Full Report PDF: Full report PDFAvailable
• Executive Summary: Executive summaryComing Soon
• Methodology: Methodology notesComing Soon
• Citation: American Small Business Research Center. The Gwinnett County Water Damage Report. ASBRC-2026-004. June 2026.Available
• Press Release: Press releaseComing Soon
• Charts: ChartsComing Soon
• Media Kit: Media kitComing Soon

American Small Business Research Center. The Gwinnett County Water Damage Report. ASBRC-2026-004. June 2026.

• North Georgia Hail & Storm Damage Report

Water Pro Inc.. Research partners may provide topic context, access to subject matter expertise, or financial support for the research process. The American Small Business Research Center maintains editorial independence. Research partners do not determine findings, methodology, conclusions, or publication decisions.