What is Considered a Plumbing Emergency? (When to Call Immediately)

A plumbing emergency is any issue that causes immediate property damage, creates health hazards, or completely shuts down essential water systems in your home. These situations require immediate professional attention to prevent thousands of dollars in damage.

True plumbing emergencies include:

• Burst pipes spraying water inside your home
• Sewage backups creating health hazards
• Gas leaks from water heater or appliances
• Complete loss of water to the entire house
• Major flooding from failed appliances or fixtures

Non-emergency issues like slow drains, dripping faucets, or running toilets can wait for regular business hours. If you're unsure whether your situation qualifies as an emergency, call us anytime. We answer 24/7 and can help you assess the urgency over the phone.

Facing a plumbing emergency in Southlake? We respond immediately to protect your home from further damage.

Use a simple three-factor test to assess your plumbing situation. Ask yourself: Is it causing damage right now? Does it create a health risk? Has it shut down an essential service you need today?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, you likely have an emergency. A small leak dripping into a bucket may not qualify today, but that same leak inside your wall becomes an emergency because you can't see or contain the damage. Time matters. What starts as a minor issue can become a crisis in hours.

Water damage costs compound quickly. A burst pipe can release hundreds of gallons per hour, soaking insulation, drywall, and flooring. Mold begins growing within 24 to 48 hours of water exposure. The longer you wait, the more expensive repairs become.

Ask yourself these three questions:

• Can I stop or contain the water damage on my own?
• Is sewage or contaminated water involved?
• Will waiting until morning cause more harm to my home or family?

When in doubt, call for a professional assessment. In our 50 years serving Southlake, we've learned that a quick phone call often prevents a small problem from becoming a major disaster. We answer 24/7 and can help you determine if your situation needs immediate attention or can wait for regular business hours.

Every plumbing emergency falls into one of five categories. Knowing these helps you recognize serious problems fast and take action before damage spreads.

Type 1: Active Water Damage

Burst pipes, major leaks, and flooding from failed appliances cause immediate property damage. Water spreads quickly through floors, walls, and ceilings. A burst pipe can release over 400 gallons per hour, soaking everything in its path. This includes washing machine hoses that rupture, water heaters that fail, and frozen pipes that crack and flood your home.

Type 2: Sewage Problems

Sewage backups and overflows create serious health hazards. Raw sewage contains harmful bacteria including E. coli and hepatitis A. If sewage is backing up into your drains, toilets, or yard, you need immediate professional help. Never try to clean up sewage on your own.

Type 3: Gas-Related Issues

If you smell gas near your water heater or appliances, evacuate immediately. Gas leaks can cause explosions at certain concentrations. Other warning signs include a hissing sound near gas lines, dead plants near your gas meter, or a pilot light that won't stay lit. Call your gas company and an emergency plumber from outside your home.

Type 4: Complete System Failure

Losing water to your entire house qualifies as an emergency, especially in winter or during extreme heat. Frozen pipes in winter can burst as they thaw. A failed main water line leaves you without water for drinking, cooking, or sanitation. Water heaters showing signs of imminent failure also fall into this category.

Type 5: Contamination Risks

Backflow into your drinking water system, well water problems, or cross-contamination between sewage and clean water lines put your family's health at risk. These issues require immediate attention and specialized equipment to test and repair.

Many older homes in the Carroll ISD area have galvanized pipes installed before 1960. These pipes have a lifespan of 40 to 50 years and can fail suddenly without warning. If your Southlake home was built during this period, pay attention to signs like discolored water or dropping water pressure.

Some plumbing problems fall into a gray area. Whether they qualify as emergencies depends on specific factors in your situation.

Clogged Toilet

A clogged toilet usually does not require emergency service. You can wait until regular business hours if the toilet is not overflowing and you have another bathroom in your home. However, call immediately if it's your only toilet, if water is overflowing onto the floor, or if sewage is backing up into other drains like your shower or sink. Multiple drains backing up at once signals a main sewer line blockage that needs urgent attention.

Leaking Faucet or Pipe

A dripping faucet can wait for regular business hours. But a leak actively spraying water or a leak inside your walls or ceiling qualifies as an emergency. You cannot see or control hidden leaks, and they cause damage to framing, insulation, and drywall. If water is staining your ceiling or walls, call right away.

Water Heater Issues

Most water heater problems can wait until morning. But call immediately if your water heater is leaking heavily onto the floor, making loud popping or banging sounds, or if the pilot light won't stay lit on a gas unit. These signs indicate potential failure or gas leak risks.

Slow Drains

A single slow drain rarely qualifies as an emergency. But if multiple drains are backing up at the same time, you likely have a main line problem. This becomes an emergency if sewage starts backing up into your home.

Running Toilet

A toilet that runs constantly wastes water and increases your utility bill. But it's not an emergency unless water is overflowing or you cannot turn off the water supply to stop it.

Still not sure if your situation requires immediate help? Call us 24/7 at (817) 481-5869. We'll ask a few quick questions and help you decide if you need emergency service or can schedule an appointment during regular hours.

Not every plumbing issue demands an after-hours service call. Many common problems are inconvenient but not urgent. Waiting for regular business hours saves you money on emergency service fees.

These issues can typically wait:

• Slow drains affecting only one fixture
• Minor dripping faucets or showerheads
• Running toilets that are not overflowing
• Low water pressure in one or two fixtures
• Water heaters making noise but still producing hot water

Schedule these repairs during regular business hours when possible. You'll avoid after-hours fees while still getting the professional service you need. Regular appointments also give us more time to diagnose the problem thoroughly and explain all your repair options.

We answer calls 24/7 and can help you determine if your situation needs immediate attention. If you call after hours with a non-emergency issue, we'll let you know and can schedule service at a time that works for you. Our goal is to protect your home and give you honest guidance, not to charge emergency rates when they're not needed.

Many Southlake homeowners appreciate knowing they can call anytime for advice, even if they end up scheduling regular service. We'd rather help you make the right decision than have you worry all night about a problem that can safely wait until morning.

If you're facing a plumbing emergency, take these steps immediately to protect your home and family.

Step 1: Shut Off the Water Supply

Find your main water shutoff valve and turn it clockwise to stop water flow to your entire house. Most homes have the main valve near the water meter, in the garage, or in a utility closet. If the problem is isolated to one fixture like a toilet or sink, use the individual shutoff valve located underneath or behind that fixture.

Step 2: Contain the Damage

Place towels and buckets to catch or absorb water if possible. Move furniture, rugs, and valuables away from the affected area. The faster you contain water, the less damage it causes to floors and walls.

Step 3: Turn Off Your Water Heater

If flooding is widespread or if the water heater itself is the source of the problem, turn off the water heater. For electric units, flip the breaker. For gas units, turn the gas valve to the off position. This prevents the heating element from burning out when water supply is cut off.

Step 4: Call an Emergency Plumber Immediately

Do not wait until morning if you have active water damage, sewage backup, or gas leak concerns. Call us now at (817) 481-5869. We answer immediately and dispatch a licensed technician to your location.

Step 5: Document the Damage

If it's safe to do so, take photos of the damage for your insurance company. Many homeowner policies cover sudden plumbing failures and resulting water damage. Documentation helps support your claim.

Special note for gas leaks: If you smell gas, evacuate your home immediately. Do not flip light switches, use phones inside, or try to locate the source. Call your gas company and an emergency plumber from outside your home or a neighbor's house.

In our 50 years serving Southlake, we've seen how 30 minutes of quick action can save thousands in water damage costs. Older neighborhoods like Timarron and Sterling Creek often have plumbing systems installed decades ago. These systems can fail suddenly, and knowing what to do right away makes all the difference.

We answer calls immediately, day or night, every day of the year. When you call with an emergency, you reach a real person who can dispatch help right away. No answering machines. No waiting until morning.

Our technicians are background-checked, licensed professionals who arrive in fully stocked trucks. We carry the parts and equipment needed to handle most emergency repairs on the first visit. You get fast solutions, not temporary patches that fail again in a few days. Learn how to avoid emergency plumbing scams so you know what to expect from honest service.

We've been serving Southlake since 1975. That's 50 years of protecting homes in Southlake, Trophy Club, Grapevine, Colleyville, Keller, and surrounding areas. We know the older plumbing systems in established neighborhoods and the newer systems in recent developments. This local experience helps us diagnose problems faster and provide lasting repairs.