HELP. Do I Have a Plumbing Emergency?

It can be difficult to know what isn't and what is a plumbing emergency – so let’s discuss

In the middle of the night, or at any time of the day for that matter, it can be hard to know exactly what is considered a plumbing emergency. What you might think is an emergency could actually wait till morning, while something you may think doesn’t need immediate attention may require a plumber ASAP.

Knowing what is or isn’t a plumbing emergency can save you a lot of dollar-bucks, as calling out the plumber in the night can attract after hours callouts and surcharges.

Leaking gas, burst pipes and blocked drains are some examples of the most common plumbing emergencies, and while waiting for your local plumber to attend, there are measures you can put in place to lessen the severity of the situation.

Let’s take a look at some of these common plumbing emergencies plus a few more, whether or not you should call a plumber immediately or wait till morning, and what you can do in the interim to prevent the problem from escalating.

8 Emergency scenarios with your plumbing that are more severe than normal

1.    Ruptured Pipes

If you can hear running water in the walls of your house, or notice damp paving/bricks outside, or even discover damp walls or mysterious water in cupboards, it’s possible you have a ruptured pipe. This is considered an emergency as letting it go can cause huge damage to the rest of your home including walls, roof, flooring (eg floorboards) furniture, electrical and more. The first thing to do is turn your water off at the main, and call your plumber first thing in the morning (if you’ve managed to turn your water off successfully by yourself, there’s probably no need to call the plumber at 2am).

2.    Blocked toilet

Flushing the toilet and it’s gurgling or filling up in the bowl? It’s highly likely your sewer pipes are blocked. Depending on how you gauge the situation (trust us, you’ll be able to tell at the time whether you need a plumber out at 2am or if it can wait till morning), you’ll need to call a plumber ASAP. A blocked toilet is considered an emergency as it’s a serious sanitary issue and one that should not be overlooked lightly due to the threat of hygiene.

3.    Broken hot water unit

If your hot water unit has ruptured and is leaking everywhere, it may be that you need to call an emergency plumber ASAP, even in the middle of the night. However if it’s just that the hot water is dropping in and out, you can wait till morning to get your broken hot water unit tended to.

4.    Bath and shower blockages

As with a blocked toilet, bath and shower blockages should be tended to ASAP as they are a health hazard. If you’re taking a shower and notice water pooling around your feet or ankles, or the bath is draining really slowly (or not at all), it’s time to call the emergency plumber!

5.    Leaking tap.

It can be tricky to determine if this one is an emergency or not. Some leaking taps open up like Niagra Falls, while others prefer a slow drip (depending on the type of tap and severity of the malfunction), while under other circumstances it could be a flexhihose under the sink that splits. Either way, turn your water off at the mains and call your plumber ASAP in the morning

6.    No/little hot water.

Although not technically considered an emergency, having hot water certainly can be a nuisance. No hot showers, baths for the kids or hot water to clean up the dishes can affect your day to day plans like you wouldn’t believe, so call the plumber when you can to get back into that hot water sooner rather than later.

7.    No water pressure

A few plumbing problems can lead to a drop in water pressure, and while the drop in pressure itself is not really an emergency, it’s important to remember the reasons CAUSING the lower pressure could be considered an emergency. For instance, a burst pipe somewhere can lead to a drop in water pressure, so it’s important to call your emergency plumber ASAP to discuss and attend that rupture.

8.    Gas leak

We’ve saved this one till last because it is a real big deal. If you notice or smell a gas leak, it must be tended to immediately as inhaling natural gas can make us really sick and can even be fatal.

Turn your gas off at the mains, open up all windows and doors (if you suspect the leak is inside) to allow fresh oxygen in, and do not light any ignition sources (matches, lighters etc). Stand outside while the trapped gas exits the home, and dial your emergency plumber immediately to come and repair the gas leak.

• What Should I Do If I Smell Leaking Gas
• Signs You Need an Emergency Plumber

Unsure which common emergency plumbing situation you might have?

Still unsure whether your plumbing issue is an emergency? It’s better to be safe than sorry, so if in doubt always call your local emergency plumber for advice - Lee at MC2 Plumbing is happy to assist.

The face of MC2 Plumbing, Lee is your friendly, nice-guy-next-door type bloke. Once a professional tap dancer, Lee went from dancing on taps around the world to fixing taps in Perth (with over 20 years in the trade).

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