Emergency Plumber
An emergency plumber is called when water is escaping and will not stop, when sewage is coming back into the house, or when the home has lost water in a way that cannot wait. This page helps decide whether a problem is an emergency and what to do in the minutes before a plumber is on the line.
Plumbing Nation is a referral service. Your call is connected to an independent plumbing provider, subject to availability in your area. Plumbing Nation may receive compensation when your call is connected with a participating provider. Providers are independent businesses.
Common signs
- Water spraying or pouring from a pipe, fitting or appliance hose that will not stop
- Sewage backing up into a tub, shower or floor drain
- No water anywhere in the house with the main valve open
- A water heater leaking from the tank itself, or the relief valve discharging continuously
- A toilet or drain overflowing that you cannot stop at the fixture valve
What the provider typically checks
On an emergency call the first job is to stop the water and make the area safe: confirm the main shutoff is closed and holding, isolate the failed section or fixture, and check whether the water heater or electrical circuits are affected. Only then does the plumber diagnose and repair the cause, which may be a split pipe, a failed supply hose, a blocked main line or a failed tank.
Before you call
Close the main water shutoff, usually where the water line enters the house, in a basement or crawl space, or at the meter. If the water heater is leaking or the house has no water, turn the heater off: set a gas heater to pilot or off, or switch off the breaker for an electric heater, so it does not heat an empty or draining tank. Switch off power to wet areas if the panel is safe to reach. If sewage is backing up, stop running water and flushing toilets. When you call, have ready the address, where the water is coming from, whether the main valve is closed, how long it has been happening, and whether the home is on a city sewer or a septic system.
This page covers the plumbing side of an emergency. Water extraction, drying and structural repair are separate services.
Related services
- Emergency Water Leak Repair: Finding and fixing an active leak in supply pipes or fittings.
- Burst Pipe Repair: Repairing a supply pipe that has split or separated under pressure.
- Shutoff Valve Repair: Main and fixture shutoff valves that leak, stick or will not close.
- Sewer Backup: Sewage coming up through floor drains, tubs or toilets.
Questions
Is a slow drip an emergency?
Usually not. A drip that can be stopped with the fixture shutoff valve or caught in a bucket can generally wait for a scheduled repair. Water that cannot be stopped, sewage backing up, or no water at all are the situations that cannot wait.
Should I call a plumber or a water damage company?
They are different trades. A plumber stops and repairs the source of the water, such as the pipe, fitting or drain. Drying, water extraction and repairs to floors, walls and ceilings are handled by water damage restoration companies. If water has soaked into the structure, both may be needed, and the plumbing repair comes first.
What if I cannot close the main shutoff?
Some homes also have a valve at the curb box or meter that the water utility controls. Tell the plumber on the call that the main will not close; a seized or broken main valve is itself a common reason for an emergency visit.
Who decides what the work will cost?
The independent provider sets the scope and the charges after looking at the problem. Confirm all details directly with the provider on the call.
Call for Emergency Plumbing Help
Calls about emergency plumber are connected to an independent plumbing provider, subject to availability. Plumbing Nation may receive compensation when your call is connected with a participating provider. Providers are independent businesses.