Beware the Burnt Earth: How North Texas Dry-Spells Can Secretly Ruin Your Plumbing

North Texas summers are legendary—hot, dry, and sometimes brutal on our plumbing. While most people brace for heat, fewer realize just how dramatically dry, shrinking soil can harm pipes buried beneath the ground.

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1. Why Dry Soil Is a Big Deal—Even Underground

Drought causes clay-heavy North Texas soil to pull away from your foundation. As that soil shrinks and cracks, it shifts everything it supports—including your underground plumbing lines. This shifting puts stress on joints and pipes, increasing the risk of cracks and leaks.

2. Water Main Breaks: More Than Just Old Pipes

Last summer, an aging cast-iron water main burst in Fort Worth, sending water flooding the streets. The culprit? Dry, shifting ground under intense heat. When the soil can’t support the pipe, even the toughest of materials fail.

3. Soil Stress Points: Where Breaks Happen First

The worst part? Leaks often occur at transition fittings, where rigid PVC meets copper. These spots—typically found just a few feet from your home—are where stress concentrates, especially when the ground moves.

4. Save Your Pipes (and Your Wallet): What You Can Do
  • Schedule annual inspections—especially after a long dry spell or heatwave. A simple camera check can catch shifts before leaks start.

  • Watch for signs: odd pressure drops, soggy spots in unexpected places, or mysteriously high water usage.

  • Water your foundation: Setting soaker hoses to run briefly during dry nights can help maintain stabilizing soil moisture levels.

Why SWAT Plumbing?
  • Expert detection—from camera inspections to pinpoint leak spots

  • Fast, flood-control repairs—before damage worsens

  • Local know-how—we understand North Texas soil, foundation movement, and how to adapt

Don’t wait for leaks to reveal themselves after the ground moves. Schedule your inspection now and protect your pipes all summer long.

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I had a bad clog in my kitchen sink. My home warranty company contracted them to come out. They were able to get to me a day earlier than anticipated and got the clog cleared up fast. I would definitely use them again, very professional and quick.

Jermaine Wilson

I received great service and support when I scheduled my appointment. Carlos arrived earlier than expected and was very professional and knowledgeable. He provided exceptional customer service. I highly recommend using this company.

Dawn Morgan

SWAT Plumbing was great from the start. With our hurry-up and wait culture, it’s easy to think your issue is the only issue. Understanding today’s climate, the timeliness was acceptable due to the holiday. The office support was kind and understanding. Our technician I believe was Hershel and he was professional, patient, respectful, and a problem solver. Our faucet had a leak, and needed to be replaced and after replacing, our water pressure was not there anymore. He diagnosed the problem and fixed it. Thanks for your great service, I would definitely use your services again if need be.

R.B.

Rob was punctual and communicated his arrival time . He repaired my main water line break in a short amount of time. Will definitely use again.

Addie Gaitan

Ken the GM is great! Him and his young assistant came out to my home to repair my water heater and kitchen faucet. Ken noticed that the faucet was old and he refused to try to put new parts on an old system so he called it in and received authorization to replace the entire set. Also, it took his assistance less than 5 minuets to replace the busted hose on my water heater. Their service and attention was excellent! Hi highly recommend that you try them the next time you have a plumbing issue!

Derrick Spillman

Randall provided the service. Located a problem we didn’t have on our work order and fixed it right away. Replaced our garbage disposal with one we were going to install. Very courteous. Definitely recommend.

William McClendon White

Carlos was wonderful to deal with. He quickly diagnosed my issue with my water heater. Also he was able to repair a leaky faucet immediately. Highly recommend them!

Rico Remigio

S.W.A.T. is really great to work with. Clayton is really awesome and is very professional, respectful, proficient, knowledgeable and delivers top quality. He came out to treat our water heater. He took the time to explain the process in detail as well as to give us a very helpful and honest assessment of our system. Thank you S.W.A.T and Clayton!

M.R.

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