When should you call an emergency plumber?

The simplest test is this: a plumbing problem is an emergency when leaving it alone risks flooding, serious water damage, loss of your only water supply, or a health and safety hazard. If that is the case, acting quickly almost always limits the damage and the cost. If none of those risks apply, you usually have time to arrange a convenient appointment instead.

Contact us straight away

These situations are genuinely urgent. Turn off your water supply where relevant and contact us for help without waiting:

• A burst pipe or water you cannot stop. Fast-escaping water damages a property quickly. Isolate the supply at the stopcock and arrange a burst pipe repair.
• Water coming through a ceiling or light fitting. This is both a damage and an electrical risk, keep clear of the area and switch off the affected circuit.
• A major leak you cannot contain, especially one reaching electrics, floors or a property below.
• No water at all throughout the home, or water you cannot shut off because the stopcock has failed. See stopcock repairs and replacements.
• Sewage or waste backing up into the home through a toilet, shower or drain, a hygiene hazard that needs prompt attention.
• An overflowing toilet that will not stop, particularly if it is your only one. Our guide on what to do if your toilet is overflowing covers the first steps.

Call soon, but not necessarily tonight

These are not disasters, but they tend to get worse, waste water or risk escalating if ignored. It is sensible to arrange help within a day or two rather than leaving them for weeks:

• A steady drip or small leak you have managed to contain but not stop.
• A slow or recurring drain blockage, or several slow drains at once, often a sign of a wider drain blockage.
• A toilet that keeps running or refilling, wasting water continuously.
• Signs of a hidden leak, damp patches, rising bills or a musty smell. Our guide to the signs of a hidden water leak helps you spot these.
• A sudden, unexplained drop in water pressure.
• A dripping or seized tap that will not shut off fully.

Usually safe to wait

Minor, stable problems can generally wait for a planned visit you can request a quote for, which is often cheaper than an emergency call-out. Examples include a slightly dripping tap you can still turn off, a single slow-draining sink that clears with care, a loose tap handle, or a cosmetic issue such as discoloured sealant. If any of these starts to worsen, the drip becomes a flow, or the blockage spreads, move it up the list.

Do this before the plumber arrives

Whatever the problem, a few actions make it safer and easier to deal with:

1. Stop the water. For most leaks, close the internal stopcock or the nearest isolation valve. Knowing where yours is, and that it works, is the single most useful thing you can do in advance.
2. Mind the electrics. If water is near sockets, wiring or a consumer unit, keep clear and switch off the affected circuit before touching anything.
3. Contain and protect. Use towels, buckets and bowls, and move valuables and furniture out of the way.
4. Drain down if told to. After closing the stopcock, running the cold taps empties the pipes and reduces how much water can escape.

Gas, carbon monoxide and when it is not a plumber you need

General plumbers deal with water, waste and drainage. Work on gas appliances and gas pipework must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and a suspected gas leak or carbon monoxide risk is a separate emergency. If you smell gas or a carbon-based fuel, or a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, follow the advice above and call 0800 111 999. If you are unsure whether your problem is plumbing or heating, describe it when you get in touch and you can be pointed in the right direction.

Still not sure?

If you are weighing it up, our guide to what counts as a plumbing emergency sets out clear examples of urgent versus non-urgent, and the emergency plumbing page explains how help is arranged. When in doubt, it costs nothing to get in touch and describe what is happening. You will get immediate safety guidance and an honest view of whether it needs attention now or can wait.