Shut the water off first
Before you call anyone, find your main shut-off valve and close it. In most Texas homes it is at the street in a covered box near the pavement, or on an exterior wall on the side of the house facing the street. Turn it clockwise until it stops.
If the leak is at a single fixture - a toilet, a basin, a water heater - there is usually a smaller isolation valve directly beneath or behind it. Closing that keeps water on for the rest of the house.
For a water heater leak, shut off the water supply and the power or gas to the unit.
Then call - and check the licence before you agree to anything
Emergency work is where unlicensed operators do best, because you are under pressure and not inclined to check. It takes about thirty seconds to avoid:
- Ask for the licence number. In Texas it is an RMP number and looks like
M-12345. - Put it into our license checker or the state’s own lookup.
- Confirm the name on the licence matches the company that answered the phone.
Texas law requires that number on all advertising and on the vehicle. A company that will not give it over the phone is telling you something useful.
What to have ready when they arrive
- Where the water is coming from, and when it started
- Whether you have shut the main off
- The age of the house, if you know it - pre-1970 usually means cast iron or galvanised drains
- Whether this has happened before, and who fixed it
What to ask before work starts
- The call-out fee, and whether it comes off the bill if you proceed
- The hourly or flat rate, and the out-of-hours multiplier
- Whether the quote covers making good afterwards - drywall, tile, slab
- Whether a permit is required, and who is pulling it
Common questions
What counts as a plumbing emergency?
Anything actively causing damage or making the property unsafe - a burst pipe, water coming through a ceiling, sewage backing up into the house, a gas smell near a water heater, or no water at all in freezing weather. A dripping tap is not an emergency, and paying emergency rates for one is money wasted.
Should I shut the water off before calling?
Yes. Shut off the main stop valve first, then call. Every minute the water is running is more damage, and a plumber cannot start work until it is off anyway.
Do emergency plumbers charge more?
Almost always. Expect a call-out fee plus an out-of-hours rate for nights, weekends and holidays. Ask for the call-out fee and the hourly rate before they are dispatched - a licensed company will tell you both.