Nashville's clay soil has low permeability. When thunderstorms drop heavy rain, water sits on the surface and flows downhill instead of soaking into the ground. Homes in valleys and on hillsides face hydrostatic pressure as groundwater accumulates against foundation walls. The Cumberland River and its tributaries flood during prolonged spring rain events, raising the water table across Davidson County. Your sump pump runs more often here than it would in sandy soil regions, which increases wear on the motor and float switch.
Metro Nashville requires sump pump discharge lines to daylight at least ten feet from your foundation, and discharge into storm drains requires a permit in some areas. We know the local codes because we work with Metro Water Services on residential plumbing projects throughout the county. Ironwood Plumbing Nashville has installed sump pump systems in historic East Nashville homes with shallow crawl spaces and new construction in Bellevue with full basements. We understand the drainage challenges unique to each Nashville neighborhood.
