When you call an emergency plumber, they generally ask you several questions about what is going on so that between you and them the decision can be made as to whether they need to come right out or if it can wait to normal business hours. Here are some of the situations that warrant calling an emergency plumber and that they’ll most likely agree are urgent in nature.
Pipe broken- In most cases, a broken pipe warrants a call to an emergency plumber. This is especially true if you cannot locate the water turnoff valve or you cannot turn it to shut off the water. If, instead, it is something you can shut off and you don’t readily need where the water is going, you might consider waiting until regular business hours.
Septic backup- You definitely don’t want to wait on resolving this sort of plumbing emergency. Not only do you need to get the backup to stop, you need to get it cleaned up promptly to avoid the health risk dangers.
Water heater issue- This one is going to depend largely on your schedule and ability to come up with an alternative for heating water. If you need to get showered for work and a cold shower doesn’t cut it, you might prefer that an emergency plumber takes care of it. If you find a “sponge bath” using water you heat up on the stove to be acceptable, then you might choose to wait until normal business hours. If the water heater is leaking and you can’t get the water to it turned off, this would definitely warrant calling an emergency plumber.
Toilet concern- A small leak or a constantly running toilet might not be an emergency, especially if you can shut off the water and use another toilet in your home for a few hours. However, if you only have one and it can’t be used, call an emergency plumber.
As already stated, when in doubt, go ahead and call an emergency plumber. They are happy to help you with advice and even help you resolve minor situations completely or to be able to delay service until morning.
