The first 10 minutes
- Shut off the water. Use the fixture valve if the leak is at a toilet or sink. If it's a pipe, a ceiling or anything you can't isolate, shut off the main.
- Find the main shutoff. In many Las Vegas homes it's on the line where the water enters the house, often in the garage near the water heater or softener, or outside along the front wall. The meter box at the curb has a valve too, but it may need a meter key.
- Turn off power to anything wet. If water is near outlets, a water heater or an electrical panel, stay clear and switch off the breaker only if you can reach it safely.
- Open a faucet at the lowest point of the house to drain the pressure out of the lines.
- Move what you can and take photos before cleaning up. Your insurance company will want to see the damage as you found it.
- Call us or tap Talk to Alex. Tell us what is leaking, where, and whether the water is off.
Request a quote
Tell us what's going on and a plumber will call you back.
What counts as an emergency
Call now
Water coming through a ceiling or wall, a pipe you can't shut off, sewage coming up into a tub or floor drain, a water heater leaking from the tank itself, or no water at all.
Can usually wait until morning
A dripping faucet, one slow drain while others work, or a running toilet you can stop by turning its valve. Shut the fixture off and request a quote here.
When in doubt
Shut the water off and call. Saying it can wait is easier once the water is off.
Water heater leaks
A drip from the relief valve or a fitting can often be repaired. Water pooling from the bottom of the tank usually means the tank itself has failed. Shut off the cold supply valve on top of the heater, then turn off the gas to the burner or the breaker for an electric unit.
Don't try to drain a leaking tank while the water is still hot. Let it cool, and leave the replacement to the plumber.
Sewage backups
When toilets, tubs and floor drains all back up together, the blockage is in the main drain, not in one fixture. Stop using water in the house, including the washer and dishwasher, because every gallon has nowhere to go but up.
Keep children and pets away from the water. A backup needs the line cleared and the cause found, often with a camera, so it doesn't happen again next month.
Before it happens again
Know your valves
Find the main shutoff and the water heater valve today, and make sure both still turn.
Replace old supply lines
Braided lines under sinks and toilets wear out. They are cheap to replace before they burst.
Watch the water heater
Rust at the base, a damp pan or popping noises are early warnings.
Mind the drains
Grease, wipes and coffee grounds cause most kitchen and main line backups.
Common questions
I can't find my main shutoff. What now?
Check the garage near the water heater and the outside wall where the line enters the house. If you still can't find it, the curb meter box has a valve, but it may need a meter key. Call us and we'll talk you through it.
Is a leaking water heater an emergency?
If water is coming from the tank itself, yes. Shut off the cold supply and the gas or power to the heater, and call.
Will insurance cover the damage?
That depends on your policy and the cause. Photos taken before cleanup, and a plumber's note about what failed, make the claim easier.
Water is coming up in the tub when I flush. Why?
That usually means the main drain is blocked. Stop using water in the house and call. The line needs to be cleared from the cleanout.