Emergency line, answered 24/7
Water where it shouldn’t be?
Shut off the water, then call. Even a few minutes of stopping the flow can save your floors.
Call (503) 555-0142
If you smell gas, or water is near live electrics
Do not stay to fix it. Leave the building, then call your gas utility or local emergency number (911 in the US). Stay out of standing water if outlets or appliances are in it, and do not touch the breaker panel with wet hands.
While you wait.
Four steps, in this order.
Shut off the main water.
Usually where the pipe enters the house: a basement wall, utility room, garage, or an outdoor meter box. A lever handle turns a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe. A round wheel turns clockwise until it stops.
Or shut off just the fixture.
Under sinks and behind toilets there is a small oval or round valve. Turn it clockwise (righty-tighty) to stop that one fixture. Do not force it if it is stuck, because a seized valve can snap.
Drain the lines and protect the room.
Open the lowest tap in the house to relieve pressure. Move rugs and electronics out of the wet area, and mop up standing water. Do not run a water heater with no water in it: switch it off at the breaker or turn the gas control to pilot.
Take photos, then call.
Photograph the damage before you clean up, for your insurer. Then call us and tell us what you shut off.
Know your valves.
Find these before you ever need them. It takes five minutes on a dry day.
| Valve | Open | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| Ball valve (lever) | Lever lined up along the pipe | Lever turned a quarter turn, across the pipe |
| Gate valve (round wheel) | Turned anticlockwise | Turned clockwise until it firms up. Go slowly. |
| Fixture stop (under sinks, behind toilets) | Turned anticlockwise | Turned clockwise. Don’t force a stuck one. |
Other common emergencies.
Sewage backing up
Stop using every drain and toilet in the house. Keep children and pets away, and do not handle the water without gloves.
Frozen pipes
Shut off the main, open the affected tap, and warm the pipe slowly with a hair dryer on low. Never use an open flame.
No hot water
Usually not an emergency. Call in office hours, or use the quote form and we will get back to you.
Ceiling bulging or dripping
Stay out from under it. If safe, poke a small hole in the lowest point and catch the water in a bucket, then call.
Tell us what you shut off, and where the water is.
Call (503) 555-0142We give you the call-out fee on the phone before anyone drives out (sample after-hours fee: $120).