Plumber in Black Mountain

Black Mountain at a glance

Black Mountain is a town in eastern Buncombe County with 8,426 people at the 2020 census. It sits at the southern end of the Black Mountain range of the Blue Ridge, with U.S. 70 as its main street and Interstate 40 just to the south.

What that means for your plumbing

In September 2024 Hurricane Helene flooded the town and its power, water and sewer systems went down for days. Homes that took on water may still have hidden damage to water heaters, drains and supply lines. If you haven't had a check since, see flood recovery plumbing.

Historic districts

Black Mountain has several districts and buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including the downtown historic district and the Black Mountain College historic district. Older buildings often have original drains and supply pipe that need careful updating.

A railroad town

Black Mountain in its present form was incorporated on March 4, 1893, and is named for the old train stop at the Black Mountain Depot. The first recorded inhabitants of the area were the Cherokee. A road was built through the valley in 1850, and the railroad followed in 1879. That rail link brought visitors, conference centers and new homes over the following decades. Many houses from those years have been updated in stages, so it's common to find old and new pipe joined under the floor. Those joins, and any original cast iron drains, are worth a look, especially if the house took on water in 2024.