Granville County, North Carolina · Oxford
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Pipes freeze in Granville County on about 8 nights a year, mostly December to February. Older homes, 15% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 10.9 times a year here, most often in September. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Granville County spike on heavy-rain days, about 10.9 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 70 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
16% of occupied homes in Granville County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the North Carolina county median of 11.7%.
With 78 muggy nights a year, mold in Granville County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
About 60,877 people live in Granville County, 532 square miles in northern North Carolina, in roughly 24,787 homes. The county seat is Oxford, and Butner, Creedmoor and Stem round out the largest towns. Much of its housing is recent, with a median build year of 1992.
45/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Granville County ranks 68 of 100 North Carolina counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Granville County ranks highest compared with other North Carolina counties.
Granville County gets more hard-freeze nights than most of North Carolina. From 2015–2024 it averaged 8 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 72 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 28th of 100 counties.
Cold snaps are the real risk. The worst in the record lasted 7 days below freezing (ending January 2018), and the low bottomed out near 2°F on January 7, 2018.
Most freezing nights fall from December to February, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
Freezing nights typically start around Nov 10 and end around Mar 31.
Granville gets fewer downpours than most North Carolina counties, but they still fill basements. Of roughly 49.7 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 10.9 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 67th of 100. April, May and September see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 3.66 inches, October 9, 2016. The worst three-day stretch dropped 5.59 inches, ending June 18, 2020, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 70 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
33% of homes in Granville County predate 1980, below the North Carolina county median of 41.2%, which ranks 75th of North Carolina's 100 counties.
Since 2000 the county has added enough housing that 36% of homes are that new. Modern PEX and copper rarely fail on their own; the leaks come from connections, appliances and storms.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 32% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
19% of homes are manufactured or mobile homes, close to the North Carolina county median of 17.4%. Their water lines run under the floor behind the skirting, so a torn skirt or failed heat tape freezes them faster than lines in a site-built house.
Beyond water
Granville County averages 78 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in May. Keep indoor humidity under 60%, as the EPA advises, and dry any leak within 24 to 48 hours; in a humid month a wet basement left alone won't dry by itself.
Mold remediation: what to expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Granville County it's 17% utility gas, 65% electric, 14% propane and 2% wood. Propane heat is more common here than the state median. Have chimneys swept and fuel-burning appliances serviced each fall, and keep three feet clear around stoves and space heaters.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Granville County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Person gets more pipe-freeze nights than Granville. Vance County has the oldest housing nearby, with 47% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Granville | North Carolina median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 15% | 18% | 62 of 100 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 33% | 41% | 75 of 100 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 36% | 26% | 23 of 100 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 19% | 17% | 42 of 100 |
| Vacant homes | 9.3% | 13% | 80 of 100 |
| Wood or propane heat | 16% | 12% | 40 of 100 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 8/yr | 5/yr | 28 of 100 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 11/yr | 12/yr | 67 of 100 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 70/yr | 57/yr | 25 of 100 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 78/yr | 89/yr | 64 of 100 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest North Carolina county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Granville County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in April, May and September.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology