Plumbing Emergency? Here's What to Do in the First 60 Seconds

Plumbing emergencies are the moments when the right move in the first 60 seconds saves you thousands. Memorize these. Better yet, screenshot this page and keep it on your phone.

If a pipe just burst

1. Shut off the main water valve at the curb. It's in the meter box at the front of your property — usually has a rectangular metal nut. Use a meter key or a crescent wrench. Quarter turn.
2. Open a faucet downstream (lowest one in the house) to relieve pressure and drain the line.
3. Cut electricity to the affected area if water is anywhere near outlets, switches, or panels.
4. Take photos for insurance — before you start mopping.
5. Call us at (310) 944-1213.

If a toilet is overflowing

1. Lift the tank lid and push the flapper down to stop water flowing into the bowl. (The flapper is the rubber disk at the bottom of the tank.)
2. If that doesn't work, shut the toilet's supply valve — usually behind the toilet at floor level on the left. Turn clockwise until it stops.
3. Don't flush again — even after the bowl drains. The line is blocked downstream and another flush will overflow it again.
4. If multiple fixtures are slow or backing up, the problem is the main line. Call us — that's a sewer issue, not a toilet issue.

If a water heater is leaking

1. Shut off the water — there's a valve on the cold-water inlet pipe at the top of the heater. Turn clockwise.
2. Shut off the gas (or turn off the breaker for electric). The gas valve is on the supply line, usually below or beside the heater.
3. Open a hot-water faucet somewhere in the house to vent pressure.
4. If the leak is from the relief valve (T&P) on the side, that's the heater telling you something serious — overpressure or overheating. Don't plug it.
5. Call us. Tank water heaters that start leaking from the bottom seam are done — they'll need replacement, not repair.

If you smell gas

1. Don't flip light switches. Don't use phones inside. Don't strike matches.
2. Open windows and leave the house.
3. From outside, call SoCalGas: 1-800-427-2200. They come out free, and if it's serious, they shut off at the meter.
4. After SoCalGas clears the area, call us to find the source and repair.

If your sewer is backing up

1. Stop using water in the house — every fixture you run makes it worse.
2. Don't flush. Don't run the dishwasher or washing machine.
3. Find your main cleanout — usually a 3" or 4" capped pipe in the side yard or near the house's foundation. Knowing where it is now saves time when we arrive.
4. Call us. Sewer back-ups can be cleared same day. Don't wait — sewage in a finished space gets expensive in a hurry.

What to do tonight, while everything is still fine

• Find your main water shut-off and try turning it. Make sure it actually works.
• Find your gas shut-off (at the meter). Buy a $5 gas-key wrench and zip-tie it to the meter so it's there when you need it.
• Save our number: (310) 944-1213.

That five-minute walkthrough has saved more South Bay homeowners thousands of dollars than any other piece of plumbing advice we give.