Emergency
Plumbing emergency? Stop the water first.
Shut off the main water valve, make the area safe, then call. You'll be connected with a licensed plumber who serves your area for burst pipes, sewer backups, frozen lines and water heater leaks.
Call now to check plumber availability
- 1
Shut off the water
Close the main shutoff, usually where the water line enters the basement or crawl space on the street side. If it won't close, the water utility can shut the curb stop.
- 2
Make it safe
Switch off power to any room where water is reaching outlets or fixtures, and turn the water heater to pilot or switch off its breaker.
- 3
Smell gas? Leave first
Don't touch switches. Get everyone out, then call the gas utility or 911 from outside. A plumber comes after the utility makes it safe.
- 4
Call and document
Call to reach a plumber, then photograph the damage for insurance before cleaning up.
Urgent services
Emergencies plumbers handle
Each page explains what to do before the plumber arrives and what the repair involves.
UrgentBurst pipe repair
Water running from a ceiling, wall or basement soffit
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UrgentFrozen pipe thawing
No water, or a trickle, from one faucet or one side of the house
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UrgentDrain cleaning
Water draining slowly from a sink, tub or shower
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UrgentSewer line repair
Roots found in the line again and again
Learn moreUrgentWater line repair
Water pooling or a soft spot in the yard between the street and the house
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UrgentWater heater repair
No hot water, or hot water that runs out quickly
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UrgentSump pump service
The pump hums but doesn't move water
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UrgentGas line repair & installation
A rotten-egg smell (call the gas utility from outside)
Learn moreWinter is emergency season on the Front Range
Most emergency calls here come during arctic fronts, when temperatures drop below zero after a mild week. Frozen pipes in exterior walls and garages split, and the leak often appears the next day when the ice melts.
Spring brings a second wave: hose bibs that split over winter leak inside the wall the first time they're used, and snowmelt fills sump pits. A basement floor drain backing up is the most common sewer emergency year-round.
Know where your main water shutoff is before you need it, and test it once a year.
Emergency questions
What counts as a plumbing emergency?
Can I get a plumber at night or on a weekend?
What should I do while waiting for the plumber?
Water still running? Call now.
Tell us what's going on and your ZIP code. You'll be connected with a licensed plumber who serves your area.
Call now to check plumber availability