Sabine County, Texas · Hemphill
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With 9% of homes built before 1960 and about 2 hard-freeze nights a year, frozen and split pipes are a leading winter risk in the county.
May brings the most downpours to Sabine County, part of 18.7 heavy-rain days a year. Check the sump first.
9% of homes here predate 1960, when clay and cast iron sewer laterals were standard. Roots and cracks in those lines are a common cause of backups.
Sabine County's wettest day in the 2015–2024 record brought 7.27 inches, and about 22 freeze-thaw days a year mean ice dams in some winters.
14% of occupied homes in Sabine County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Texas county median of 6.5%.
Muggy summer nights, lows of 65°F or more, come about 136 times a year in Sabine County. Mold after a leak spreads fastest from June through August.
Local risk profile
About 10,023 people live in Sabine County, 492 square miles in eastern Texas, in roughly 7,697 homes. The county seat is Hemphill, and Milam and Pineland round out the largest towns. Much of its housing is recent, with a median build year of 1991.
50/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Sabine County ranks 120 of 232 Texas counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Sabine County ranks highest compared with other Texas counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Sabine County sits near the middle of the state. From 2015–2024 it averaged 2 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 22 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 126th of 232 counties.
Hard freezes are uncommon here, about 22 nights a year at or below 32°F, and that's exactly why they do damage: pipes in attics, exterior walls and slab-edge plumbing are rarely insulated. The coldest night in the record was about 7°F on February 16, 2021.
Heavy rain is a bigger factor here than in most of Texas. Of roughly 61.8 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 18.7 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 2nd of 232. January, April and May see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 7.27 inches, March 29, 2018. The worst three-day stretch dropped 11.23 inches, ending August 31, 2017, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 22 times a year here. They're the main driver of ice dams and of water working its way through foundation cracks in late winter.
Housing
31% of homes in Sabine County predate 1980, below the Texas county median of 45.8%, which ranks 190th of Texas's 232 counties.
Since 2000 the county has added enough housing that 32% 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 37% 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.
35% of homes are manufactured or mobile homes, above the Texas county median of 13.4%. 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.
The Census counted 40% of homes as vacant, above the Texas county median of 16.6%. Empty houses are where a small leak turns into a large claim, because nobody is there to hear it.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 136 times a year here, close to the Texas county median of 129. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in Sabine County's occupied homes: 8% utility gas, 78% electric, 10% propane and 4% wood. Wood and propane heat are above the Texas norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Sabine County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Sabine gets more pipe-freeze nights than any of its neighbors. It also has the most heavy-rain days in its area. Shelby County has the oldest housing nearby, with 43% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Sabine | Texas median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 9.1% | 20% | 198 of 232 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 31% | 46% | 190 of 232 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 32% | 26% | 76 of 232 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 35% | 13% | 6 of 232 |
| Vacant homes | 40% | 17% | 3 of 232 |
| Wood or propane heat | 14% | 6.5% | 42 of 232 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 2/yr | 3/yr | 126 of 232 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 19/yr | 7.8/yr | 2 of 232 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 22/yr | 27/yr | 135 of 232 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 136/yr | 129/yr | 97 of 232 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Texas county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Sabine County: freezing from midwinter, heavy rain in January, April and May.
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