Plumbing problems that need an emergency call
A plumbing emergency is anything that's actively damaging the house, making it unsanitary, or leaving you without water. These are the calls that shouldn't wait until morning:
- Burst or split pipe. Water spraying or pouring from a supply line, often in a crawlspace, garage, attic or exterior wall after a freeze.
- Water through a ceiling. A stain that's growing, a ceiling that sags or drips, or water coming out of a light fixture. Stay out from under a bulging ceiling.
- Sewage backup. Dirty water coming up in the lowest tub, shower or floor drain, especially when a toilet is flushed or the washer drains.
- Leaking water heater tank. Water pooling under the tank itself. A leaking tank can't be patched and can let go completely.
- No water at all. If your neighbors have water and you don't, the problem may be a broken service line or a frozen pipe.
- A toilet or fixture that won't stop running and won't shut off at its own valve. Routine running toilets are covered under toilet repair.
- A failed sump or ejector pump with water rising in the basement. See sump and ejector pump repair.
Some problems feel urgent but can usually wait for a scheduled visit: a single slow drain, a dripping faucet, or a toilet that runs but shuts off at its valve. If you aren't sure which side of the line you're on, call. We'll tell you honestly whether it can wait.
What to do in the first 5 minutes
Stop the water first. Find the main shutoff valve and turn it clockwise until it stops. That single step limits most of the damage.
- Find the main shutoff. In Canton-area homes it's usually where the water line enters the house: on a basement wall, in the crawlspace near the front foundation, in the garage, or beside the water heater. Some newer homes have it in a utility closet.
- If the house valve won't turn, use the curb stop at the water meter box near the street. It often needs a meter key or a long pair of pliers.
- Turn off the water heater if the main is off for more than a short time or the tank is leaking: set gas units to "pilot" or "off," and switch off the breaker for electric units.
- Kill power to wet areas at the breaker if water is near outlets, a panel or light fixtures, and only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
- For a sewage backup, stop running water and flushing toilets anywhere in the house. Every gallon you send down comes back up at the lowest drain.
If you smell gas near a gas water heater or gas line, leave the house, then call 911 or the gas utility from outside. A plumber handles the appliance afterward, once the area is safe.
What an emergency plumbing visit involves
Emergency work happens in 2 stages. The first is making the house safe and dry enough to stop the damage. The second is the permanent repair, which is often done on the same visit and sometimes scheduled for daylight when access or parts require it.
Stage 1: stop the damage
The plumber confirms the water is off, finds the failed pipe, fitting or appliance, and isolates it so the rest of the house can have water back as soon as possible. On a burst supply line that might mean cutting out the split section and capping it.
On a sewer backup it means clearing the main line through a cleanout so drains flow again. On a leaking water heater it means shutting off and draining the tank.
Stage 2: the permanent repair
Split pipe gets replaced with new PEX or copper, and nearby pipe is checked for more freeze damage, since a hard freeze rarely splits just one spot. A cleared sewer line gets a camera inspection to see why it clogged; roots, a sag or a broken joint will cause it to happen again, and that's a job for sewer line repair.
A failed water heater gets replaced, which in Canton requires a permit. Details are on our water heater replacement page.
Why hard freezes burst so many pipes in Canton
North Georgia freezes are short and infrequent, so many homes here were built with water lines running through vented crawlspaces, unheated garages and exterior walls with little insulation. Canton's hilly lots make it worse: plenty of homes sit on a walkout basement or a tall crawlspace on the downhill side, where cold air moves freely under the house.
When a deep cold snap does come, like the one over Christmas weekend in 2022 that caused burst pipes and water main breaks across metro Atlanta, those exposed lines freeze and split. The leak usually shows up when the pipe thaws, often the next afternoon. If a freeze is coming, open cabinet doors on exterior walls, let a faucet drip on the coldest wall, close crawlspace vents, and disconnect garden hoses from outdoor spigots.
What affects the cost of emergency plumbing
Emergency plumbing costs more than the same repair booked on a weekday, because a plumber is working outside normal hours. Beyond the timing, the price depends on:
- Where the failure is. A split pipe in an open crawlspace is a short repair. One inside a finished ceiling means cutting drywall to reach it.
- How many failures there are. After a freeze, a single line can split in several places.
- What failed. A burst supply line, a cleared sewer main and a water heater replacement are very different jobs.
- Whether the permanent repair happens now. Sometimes the best value is stopping the leak tonight and doing the full repair during regular hours.
You're told the cost before work starts. Drywall, flooring and water cleanup are separate trades; if you have significant water damage, call your homeowner's insurance and a water mitigation company as well.
After the emergency is over
Keep an eye on the repaired area for a day or two, looking for drips at new fittings. Watch your water meter: with every fixture off, the meter's low-flow indicator shouldn't move.
If it does, there may be a second leak, and leak detection can find it. Wet crawlspaces and wall cavities need to dry out completely; fans and a dehumidifier help prevent mold.
Emergency calls are one part of what we do. Plumbing Guy also handles routine repairs and replacements as a full-service plumber in Canton, GA, so the same company can do the follow-up work.
Emergency plumbing questions
Is there an emergency plumber open now in Canton?
Plumbing Guy is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call (770) 588-0266 at any hour for burst pipes, sewage backups, leaking water heaters or no water.
Can a burst pipe wait until morning if I shut the water off?
Sometimes. If the main is off and the leak has stopped, the risk drops a lot, but you'll be without water until it's fixed. If you have only one shutoff for the whole house, most people prefer to have the pipe isolated that night so the rest of the house has water again.
What should I do if sewage is coming up in my shower?
Stop using all water in the house: no flushing, no washer, no dishwasher. Keep people and pets away from the affected area and call for emergency drain service. The main sewer line usually needs to be cleared from an outside cleanout.
Will my water heater explode if it's leaking?
A leaking tank is a flooding risk more than an explosion risk. The real danger is a relief valve that's blocked or missing, or a gas smell.
Shut off the water to the tank and the gas or power, and call. If the relief valve is releasing hot water repeatedly, the heater may be overheating and should be shut off.
Does homeowner's insurance cover burst pipes?
Many policies cover sudden water damage from a burst pipe, but not the repair of a pipe that failed from long-term wear. Coverage varies, so check your policy and photograph the damage before cleanup.