Keeping Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill Dry for Decades
The Raleigh-Durham area’s no stranger to above average rainfall, and the water damage that comes after. We get roughly 46 inches of rain per year, (well above the national average), and North Carolina red clay soil doesn’t drain quickly. If you’re in or near homes near Crabtree Creek in Raleigh, along the Eno River corridor in Durham, near Jordan Lake in Chatham County, water intrusion and basement flooding are part of life in the Triangle.
Blaze Heating, Cooling, Electrical & Plumbing has been serving the Triangle for decades,and we’ve had our fair share of flooding troubles. That’s why we encourage customers to keep on top of heavy rains with a functioning sump pump. It’s basically your first line of defense against water damage and intrusion. Without one, you could be looking at thousands of dollars of water damage.
How Sump Pumps Work in the Triangle
Here’s how a sump pump works in the Triangle.
Step 1: Water fills the pit
Your sump pump sits in a special hole in your basement (the sump pit). When it rains, water from the soil and the surrounding drains flows naturally into this pit.
Step 2: The pump turns on automatically
Inside the pit, there’s a small float that rises as the water rises (just like the float inside your toilet tank). Once the water reaches a certain height, this float flips a switch and turns the pump on.
Step 3: Water gets pushed out
The pump pushes the water up and out of your house via a long discharge pipe. This pipe carries the water safely away from your home’s foundation.
Step 4: The one-way gate closes
When the water inside the pit lowers as the water’s carried off, then the float switch lowers, too. This’ll turn the motor off. The process will repeat when water fills the pit again.
What Triangle Soil Means for Your Sump Pump
A quick note on the soil in our area. Since the clay soil around Raleigh, Durham, and Cary holds onto water like a sponge, ground water drains slowly. This means sump pits in the Triangle area can refill pretty fast during heavy downpours, making your pump work a bit harder than it would in areas with sandy soil.
Sump Pump Services We Offer in the Triangle
Here’s what you can expect from the Blaze team when we service and install sump pumps in the Triangle.
Sump Pump Installation in the Triangle
This is a full installation of sumps pumps in homes that don’t have them, and that means sump pit excavation if needed, too. We’ll see what your home’s water intrusion risk is, basement layout, and how the soil will drain before pump recommendations. We’ll properly route discharge lines, too. We’ll also pull any Wake County or Durham County permits you need.
Sump Pump Replacement
If your pump’s aged or failing, we can replace it for you before the next big rain catches you offguard. We’ll examine the existing pit, discharge line, and check valve condition before installing the new unit. This is a high priority if you’ve been in the Triangle a long time and have never replaced your sump pump.
Sump Pump Repair
The Blaze team is trained to quickly diagnose and fix common breakdown issues, including a sump pump running but not moving water, a system cycling on and off rapidly, or a unit running continuously without stopping. We’ll determine whether a fast sump pump repair is the right call, or if the system’s age makes a complete sump pump replacement the more cost-effective path for your Triangle home.
Battery Backup Sump Pump Installation
Having a battery backup is crucial here. Since your sump pump runs on your home’s electricity, if it goes out, you’re left without a pump when you need it most. When you have a battery backup, it kicks on as soon as the power goes out, and it keeps on running as it should. We install battery backup systems alongside existing primary pumps or as part of a new full installation.
Sump Pump Maintenance and Inspection
Keeping on top of sump pump maintenance is just doing your due diligence as a homeowner. A pump that sits idle for months during dry spells can easily seize up or develop a sticky float switch without you noticing until the next heavy downpour. Try to schedule an inspection before storm season. Late winter or early spring is the ideal time for homeowners in Raleigh, Durham, and Cary.
Signs Your Triangle Home Needs Sump Pump Repair or Replacement
Give Blaze a call if you notice any of these warning signs in your basement or crawl space:
- Your sump pump’s running continuously
- It’s cycling on and off rapidly
- The pump’s not moving water at all
- Your pump’s completely silent, especially during a heavy rain
- You smell a strong musty odor in your basement or crawlspace
- The pump is 7 to 10 years old
After any big storm, check your sump pit. Massive downpours can completely overwhelm an older or undersized pump, even if you think it’s working properly.
Schedule Sump Pump Service in the Triangle
Ready to stay dry? THe Triangle area gets a lot of rain, but you can be more than ready for it. Don’t let the spring’s first big storm be the time you find out your pump’s not working. Call us or schedule an appointment to talk about sump pumps and plumbing services in the Triangle. Blaze serves Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Clayton, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and surrounding Triangle communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do sump pumps last in the Triangle?
On average, a quality pump lasts 7 to 10 years. But since we have dense clay soil in Raleigh and Durham, your pump will likely be working a lot harder than normal. If your pump is working overtime regularly, you might need a sump pump replacement closer to the 7-year mark. Get in touch with us and we can take a look at your pump.
Does my Triangle home need a battery backup sump pump?
Yes, if your home’s in a low-lying or flood-prone area (near any of the Triangle’s creek corridors for example), a battery backup is in your best interest. Power outages in Wake, Durham, and Chatham counties are pretty frequent, and that’s exactly when you don’t want your pump to give out. The cost of a battery backup is but a fraction of the cost of extensive water damage.
Where should sump pump discharge water go?
Sump pump discharge water has to go at least 10 to 20 feet away from your home’s foundation wall, sloping downhill toward a natural drainage area, a backyard rain garden, or the street curb. Dumping the water too close to the house means it will just soak into the ground and cycle right back into your basement or crawl space. Always keep any Triangle neighborhood HOA rules and city runoff regulations in mind when dealing with your drainage lines.