When to Call an Emergency Plumber in Fairfield (and What Can Wait)

These problems get worse by the minute, and the damage they cause usually costs far more than the repair:

- A burst or split pipe, or any leak spraying or pouring water. - Water coming through a ceiling or wall, which means a pipe is leaking where you can't see it.

- Sewage backing up into a tub, shower or floor drain, or overflowing from a toilet when another fixture drains. - A water heater leaking from the tank itself, not just dripping from a valve.

- No water to the whole house with no notice from the water utility. - Every toilet and drain in the house blocked, which points to the main sewer line.

A gas smell is not a job to start with a plumber's phone call.

Pacific Gas and Electric's guidance is direct: if you smell natural gas or suspect an emergency, leave the area now and call 9-1-1, then call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

Don't switch lights on or off or use anything that could make a spark on the way out. Once the utility has made the area safe, a licensed plumber repairs the gas line on your side of the meter.

Our guide to gas leak signs covers what to watch for.

A few minutes of action can cut the damage a lot:

1. 1Shut off the main water valve. In most homes it is on the pipe where the line enters the house, often on an outside wall or in the garage, with the city shut-off in the meter box at the street. Learn where yours is before you need it.
2. 2Turn off the water heater if the leak is at the tank or you have shut off the main for a long time.
3. 3Keep away from water near outlets or appliances. If water is reaching electrical outlets or the panel, keep out of the water and leave the power to an electrician or the utility.
4. 4Stop using the drains during a sewer backup. Every flush or load of laundry adds to it.
5. 5Move what you can and put down towels, and take photos for your insurer.

These are worth fixing soon, but they rarely justify an after-hours call:

- A dripping faucet or a slow drip under a sink that a bucket can catch. - One slow drain while the rest of the house drains normally.

- A running toilet. Closing the valve behind it stops the water until the appointment. - A water heater that is lukewarm but not leaking.

- A leak you have stopped by shutting off a fixture valve or the main, if the household can manage without water for a while.

A same-day appointment often costs less than an after-hours emergency visit, so if the water is off and nothing is getting worse, it is reasonable to wait for regular hours.

When you call an emergency plumber, expect to be asked what is happening, whether the water is off, and where the problem is. Have the address, a description, and if you can, a photo ready.

On site, the first job is to stop the water or the backup and make the plumbing safe. The permanent repair may happen on the same visit, or be scheduled once the damage and the parts needed are clear.

Ask for the price before work starts. If a pipe has burst, our guide to what burst pipe repair costs explains what drives the bill.

C&C Plumbing answers plumbing emergencies 24 hours a day across Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo, Benicia and the rest of Solano County.

We stop the water, make the system safe, and give you a free estimate on the repair before we start. Same-day service and financing are available. See our emergency plumbing services or 24-hour emergency plumber in Fairfield.

C&C Plumbing is licensed and insured under California contractor license 982867 and has served Solano County since 2013. Gas leak guidance in this article is from PG&E's gas safety page.