What is Considered a Plumbing Emergency?

What is Considered a Plumbing Emergency?


If you find yourself struggling with a plumbing problem, depending on the severity you could put off getting the issue fixed. Though if you have a genuine plumbing emergency, you should call your local plumbing professional as soon as possible in order to ensure that your home remains safe and comfortable for both you and your family.

Many people don’t understand the concept of a plumbing emergency. However, plumbing emergencies are common and it’s always important that you understand the signs of one so that you don’t let things go that could cause a really significant plumbing problem later down the line. 

Know the Difference

The majority of plumbing professionals will offer emergency plumbing services to their long time clients outside of the normal working hours. However, many homeowners will still call their local 24/7 on-call plumber at the first sign of an emergency. These on-call emergency services almost always have a higher price tag than their non-emergency service counterparts, due to the unsociable hours that the plumber must work in order to help you. As such, being able to recognize what constitutes a plumbing emergency and what problems could probably wait until a more suitable time will help you avoid aggravating your plumber and will also save you money on the plumbing services as well.

Can You Temporarily Fix The Problem Yourself?

When it comes to deciding whether or not you need to call a professional for an emergency or not, one of the first things you ought to consider is, “Can I fix the problem temporarily myself?” While there are a number of plumbing problems which would be considered to be a plumbing emergency—such as a burst pipe or a sewer backup. Smaller issues such as a broken toilet or clogged tub could be left until the following day if you can make temporary arrangements.

Additionally, some smaller water leakage issues can be fixed by simply turning off a water valve, effectively preventing the problem from getting worse until a plumber can come out to help you. If there is a slow leak, a simple pan may be adequate enough to catch any dripping water in order to prevent any damage from occurring. But, if water is leaking onto a breaker box or electrical outlet, you should call a plumber immediately in order to ensure that a house fire doesn’t ensue. 

When Your Plumbing Emergency Can’t Wait

Sometimes, you will need to call a plumber at an otherwise inconvenient time in order to prevent huge damage to your property and furnishings, or even to prevent electrical fires. In these cases, you shouldn’t hesitate; you should always call a plumbing professional to help you as soon as possible! 

No matter what your plumbing emergency entails, Super Terry will come to your rescue! If you live in Pittsburgh or the Pittsburgh area, you can call Terry’s Plumbing at 412-364-9114. We provide rapid response to plumbing emergencies 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. We can even help you with plumbing emergencies on weekends and holidays! Call us any time.