First steps in a plumbing emergency
- Turn off the water. In the UK the stopcock is often under the kitchen sink or where the pipe enters the house. In the USA the main shutoff valve is usually near the water meter, in a basement, crawl space or utility area.
- Switch off electricity at the consumer unit (UK) or breaker panel (USA) if water is near electrics, but only if you can reach it safely without standing in water.
- Drain the system by opening cold taps / faucets and flushing toilets once the water is off.
- Contain the water with towels and buckets, and move valuables.
- Take photos of the damage for your home insurer.
If you smell gas
UK: call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 (Great Britain) or the Northern Ireland Gas Emergency Service on 0800 002 001. Open doors and windows, don't use switches or naked flames, and turn off the gas at the meter if you can.
USA: leave the building straight away, don't use switches, phones or anything that could spark inside, then call 911 or your gas utility from outside.
Only a Gas Safe registered engineer (UK) or a plumber or fitter licensed for gas work (USA) should repair gas appliances or pipework.
Is it really an emergency?
Most plumbers treat these as emergencies: a burst pipe, water coming through a ceiling, no water at all, a sewage backup, or no heating or hot water for vulnerable people in cold weather. A dripping tap or slow drain can usually wait for normal hours, which are often cheaper.
Choosing an emergency plumber quickly
- Ask for the call-out charge and hourly rate before they set off, including any out-of-hours premium.
- Check registration (UK: Gas Safe Register for gas, WaterSafe for water) or licence (USA: your state or local licence lookup).
- Be wary of anyone who demands full payment up front or quotes only once they've started.
- Ask your home insurer: some policies include home emergency cover with an approved plumber.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
