What counts as a plumbing emergency
If water is doing damage and you cannot stop it, call. The usual emergencies are:
- A burst or badly leaking pipe
- Water coming through a ceiling or down a wall
- No water at all to the property
- A toilet or cistern overflowing and not stopping
- Flooding from a failed fitting or appliance connection
- Frozen pipes that have split, or are about to
What to do before we arrive
Turn the water off at the stop tap. It is usually under the kitchen sink, or where the supply pipe comes into the house, and it turns clockwise to close. Open the cold taps to drain what is left in the pipes, move belongings out of the way, and catch drips with bowls and towels. If water is near electrics, keep away from them. Take a few photographs before you clear up, because your insurer may want them. If you smell gas, leave the building and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 before you call anyone else.
How we fix it
First we isolate the water so the damage stops, then we trace the leak: following the stain, listening along the pipe, and checking the pressure. We open up as little as we need to, and repair or replace the damaged section with new pipe and fittings. Then we restore the supply and check the repair holds. If a repair cannot be finished on the night, for example where a pipe is hidden under a floor, we make it safe and tell you what comes next. See burst and leaking pipes and stop taps and water supply repairs for more.
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Stopping it happening again
Most plumbing emergencies are avoidable, or at least much smaller if you are ready for them. Know where your stop tap is and check that it turns, at least once a year. Lag exposed pipes in lofts, garages and outside walls before winter, and if you are away in cold weather, leave the heating on low rather than off. Fix a dripping tap or a damp patch while it is small: a slow leak that is left becomes a burst eventually.
What affects the price
The time of day, how easy the pipe is to reach, what the pipe is made of and what parts are needed all change the cost. A burst on an exposed pipe is a different job to a leak under a floor or in the ground. We give you a firm price once we have found the problem and before we start repairs.
What happens after you call
You speak to the team, whatever the hour. Tell us what has happened and what you can see, and we will talk you through shutting off the water while we get a van to you. On site we find the problem, explain it and the cost, and fix it once you are happy to go ahead.