Bret and Julia had a situation on their hands. Their backyard hose bibb was broken and leaking, and with real estate transactions involved, timing was everything. Their realtor, Julie, was ready to meet our tech on site because this needed to be fixed fast.
If you’ve ever had water spraying where it shouldn’t be in your yard, you know that sinking feeling. And in Murphy, where winter temps can still dip low enough to cause problems with outdoor plumbing, a busted hose bibb is more common than folks realize.
What We Found in the Backyard
The frost proof hose bib in the backyard had given up. These things are designed to handle Texas winters, but nothing lasts forever. Between freezing temps and normal wear, they eventually crack or fail. When our plumber got there, the damage was pretty clear.
The fix itself was straightforward. We replaced the frost proof hose bib completely, turned the water back on to the home, and checked everything for leaks. Good news on that front. No leaks detected on the new frostproof at all. Tested the function and it was working exactly like it should.
We even filled in around the hose bib with mortar to make sure it was sealed up tight against the exterior wall. Little details like that matter when you’re trying to prevent future problems.
Issues With the Water Meter
Here’s where things got interesting. After finishing up the hose bib repair, our tech checked the water meter. It still had movement. That means water was running somewhere it shouldn’t be, even with everything turned off inside the house.
So we turned off the main shut off valve to the home. The meter was still moving. That ruled out anything inside the house being the culprit.
The likely suspect? The irrigation system.
The problem was that we couldn’t isolate the irrigation from the main water supply. The double check valve that separates the sprinkler system from the house water was old and in rough shape. These valves are supposed to let you shut off irrigation independently, but when they’re worn out, that becomes impossible.
We gave Bret and Julia a few options to figure out exactly what was going on.
- Replace the double check valve so the irrigation can be properly isolated and controlled
- Perform a hydrostatic test on the freshwater system to check for underground leaks
- Do a leak locate to pinpoint exactly where water might be escaping
Winter Plumbing Problems in Murphy Are No Joke
This time of year in Murphy and the surrounding areas, we see a ton of outdoor plumbing failures. Hose bibbs that froze and cracked. Irrigation systems that took damage during cold snaps. Pipes that were borderline and finally gave out.
If you haven’t checked your outdoor faucets since the last freeze, now would be a good time. Turn them on and watch for dripping behind the wall or pooling water near the foundation. A little prevention goes a long way.
Some quick tips for Murphy homeowners heading into late winter and early spring.
- Disconnect garden hoses from outdoor faucets when temps drop below freezing
- Insulate exposed pipes and hose bibbs with foam covers
- Know where your main water shut off valve is located
- Keep an eye on your water meter if you suspect a leak
That meter trick is actually really useful. Turn off all the water in your house, then go look at your meter. If it’s still spinning or showing movement, you have a leak somewhere.
Getting Ahead of Bigger Problems
What started as a simple hose bib replacement for Bret and Julia turned into discovering a potential bigger issue with their water system. That’s actually a win. Better to find out now than have a mystery water bill show up or discover foundation damage later.
If you’re in Murphy or nearby and dealing with outdoor plumbing issues, leaking hose bibbs, irrigation problems, or unexplained water usage, give us a call. We handle hose bibb repairs and leak detection all the time.
Check out our Murphy TX service area page for more info on what we do in your neighborhood, or visit our hose bibb repair page to learn more about frost proof replacements and outdoor faucet services.