North Texas sits in one of the most active hail corridors in the country. Every spring and into summer, storms roll through Collin County dropping hail that ranges from pea-size to baseball-size, along with wind, heavy rain, and the occasional freeze on the shoulders of the season. Homeowners rightly worry about the roof and the cars. The outdoor plumbing gets overlooked until something is dripping or shooting water across the yard.
The exposed parts of your plumbing system take a beating from all of it — direct hail impact, wind-driven debris, ground saturation, and the pressure swings that come with a storm. Most of it is easy to protect once you know where the weak points are.
Here is what North Texas storm season does to outdoor plumbing, and the low-effort steps that keep a hailstorm from becoming a service call.
The vulnerable parts, and how they fail
Hose bibs and outdoor faucets
The spigot on the side of the house is the most exposed plumbing you own. A direct hail strike can crack the handle, bend the stem, or split the body. More often, hail cracks the vacuum breaker or backflow cap on top of the bib — a small part that keeps yard water from siphoning back into your drinking water. A cracked one may not leak dramatically, but it stops protecting your supply.
Backflow prevention assemblies
If you have an irrigation system, you have a backflow assembly — usually a brass device sitting a foot or two above the ground near the meter or the side of the house. It is a favorite hail target because it sticks up and out. Cracked bonnets, split test cocks, and snapped valve handles are common after a hailstorm. A damaged backflow device can leak, fail to protect your water supply, or freeze and burst on the next cold snap. Many cities require these to be tested; storm damage can put yours out of compliance.
Exposed and above-ground lines
PVC irrigation risers, pool-equipment plumbing, and any pipe running up an exterior wall are all exposed to impact. PVC gets brittle in the Texas sun over the years, and a solid hail hit can crack a line that then leaks slowly until you notice a soggy patch or a jump in the water bill.
Before the storm: simple protection
- Install insulated foam covers on hose bibs — they cushion hail impact and double as freeze protection later in the year.
- Put a hard cover or a purpose-built cage over your backflow assembly. Insulated backflow covers are inexpensive and guard against both hail and freeze.
- Disconnect and drain garden hoses when storms are in the forecast, so a cracked bib does not have a hose amplifying the leak.
- Keep the area around outdoor plumbing clear of loose items that wind can turn into projectiles.
- Know where your main shut-off is and that it works — the fastest way to limit damage from any broken outdoor line is to stop the water quickly.
After the storm: a five-minute check
Once it is safe to go outside, walk the perimeter and look at anything plumbing-related that sticks up or out. You are looking for cracks, drips, and things knocked out of place.
- Check every hose bib: turn each on briefly and watch for drips at the handle, the stem, and the vacuum breaker on top.
- Inspect the backflow assembly for cracked plastic caps, weeping brass, or snapped handles. Any water leaking from it after a storm means it needs attention.
- Look for new wet spots, bubbling, or sunken soil in the yard that could mark a cracked irrigation or supply line.
- Watch your water meter with everything off — if the dial is moving, water is escaping somewhere.
- Scan exposed exterior pipe for fresh cracks or impact marks.
When to call a plumber
A cracked hose bib or a damaged backflow assembly is a straightforward fix when it is caught early, and it is squarely a job for a licensed plumber — backflow devices in particular protect your drinking water and often require certified testing after repair. If you find storm damage, or you are just not sure whether that drip matters, we can take a look.
We cover all of Collin County and respond to plumbing emergencies around the clock, so a line that broke in the middle of a storm does not have to wait until Monday. Call (831) 290-4327. As a benchmark, a minor outdoor repair across DFW commonly runs $150 to $450, with the on-site diagnosis setting the real quote.
Frequently asked questions
It depends entirely on your policy and the cause of loss, and we do not promise coverage outcomes. Document the damage with photos right after the storm, and check with your insurer. We can provide a written diagnosis of what failed, which helps your claim.
McKinney Pro Plumbers
Licensed McKinney plumbers serving Collin County and North Texas. Work performed under a Texas Responsible Master Plumber (TSBPE). Questions? Call (831) 290-4327.