Quick Answer
Ironclad Plumbing wrote this emergency guide because the actions you take in the first 10 minutes determine whether you’re dealing with a repair bill or a catastrophe.
| Emergency | Do This RIGHT NOW | Then Call |
|---|---|---|
| Water spraying / pipe burst | Shut off main water valve. Open a faucet to drain pressure. Contain water with towels. | Plumber: (833) 597-1932 |
| Sewage backing up into house | Stop using all water. Don’t flush anything. Open windows. | Plumber: (833) 597-1932 |
| You smell gas | Do NOT touch light switches, phones (inside), or anything that could spark. Leave the house. Take everyone including pets. | 911 first, then Texas Gas Service: 800-959-5325, then plumber |
| Water heater leaking/flooding | Turn off gas valve (gas) or breaker (electric). Turn off cold water supply valve on top of heater. | Plumber: (833) 597-1932 |
| No water at all | Check with a neighbor (utility issue?). Check main shutoff (is it off?). | Austin Water: 512-972-0000 first, then plumber if it’s your system |
| Toilet overflowing and won’t stop | Remove tank lid. Push the flapper down manually. Turn off supply valve behind toilet (clockwise). | Plumber if the valve won’t turn or the problem repeats |
| Ceiling is bulging with water | Do NOT stand under it. Place a bucket underneath. Carefully poke a small hole at the lowest point to drain controlled. Find and shut off the source above. | Plumber: (833) 597-1932 |
Print this page and post it near your main water shutoff valve.
Step 1: Stop the Water (This Is the Whole Game)
The single most important thing you can do in any plumbing emergency is stop the water from flowing. Every second water is running uncontrolled, the damage is growing. Flooring, drywall, electrical wiring, personal property, and potentially your foundation are all at risk.
Where Your Shutoffs Are (Find These Now, Not During the Emergency)
Main water shutoff (whole house): Usually in one of two places:
- At the street: Inside the meter box near the curb. You may need a meter key (a T-shaped tool, $10 at Home Depot) to turn the valve. Turn clockwise to close.
- Where the main line enters the house: Often in the garage, utility room, or near the water heater. Look for a ball valve (lever handle) or gate valve (round handle). Turn the lever perpendicular to the pipe (off) or turn the round handle clockwise.
Go find both of these right now. Walk to the street and locate the meter box. Walk to where the main line enters your house and locate the shutoff. Test both. If either is stuck, corroded, or doesn’t fully stop the water, get it replaced before you need it. A $175 shutoff valve replacement now prevents the catastrophe where you’re standing in 2 inches of water and can’t stop the flow.
Water heater shutoff: A valve on the cold water supply pipe above or near the water heater. Turning this off stops water from entering the tank. Also know where the gas valve (gas units) or breaker (electric units) is.
Individual fixture shutoffs: Under each sink (two valves: hot and cold). Behind each toilet (one valve). These let you isolate a single fixture without shutting off the whole house.
Step 2: Contain the Damage
Once the water is off, the emergency is contained. Now minimize what’s already happened.
Water on the floor: Towels, mops, whatever you have. If there’s a lot of water, a wet-dry shop vac is the most effective tool. If you don’t have one, use towels and start extracting water from the lowest point.
Water near electrical outlets or panels: Do not step in standing water near electrical sources. Turn off the breaker to the affected area from the panel if you can do so without standing in water. If the panel itself is in the affected area, call 911.
Water on ceiling or upper floors: Water follows gravity. If the leak is upstairs, it may be running along joists and emerging at a point far from the actual leak. If the ceiling is bulging or sagging, it’s holding water. Place a bucket underneath and carefully puncture the lowest point of the bulge with a screwdriver to drain it in a controlled way rather than letting it collapse on its own.
Furniture and valuables: Move what you can out of the water. Electronics, documents, and irreplaceable items first.
Step 3: Document Before You Clean Up
Your insurance claim depends on documentation. Before you start ripping up wet carpet or throwing away damaged items:
Take photos of everything. The water level. The source (if visible). The damaged areas. Damaged personal property. Close-ups and wide shots. This takes 5 minutes and is worth thousands in claim support.
Video the active situation. A 30-second video of water spraying from a pipe or sewage bubbling up from a drain is compelling evidence for an insurance adjuster.
Do not throw anything away until the adjuster has seen it. Move items out of the water, but keep them accessible for the adjuster’s inspection.
Step 4: Call for Help
For water emergencies (burst pipe, major leak, water heater failure): Call a plumber. Ironclad: (833) 597-1932.
For sewer backups: Call a plumber. Do not use any water in the house until the line is cleared.
For gas smells: Call 911 first. Then Texas Gas Service emergency line: 800-959-5325. Then call a plumber after the area is cleared as safe.
For no water / utility issues: Call Austin Water: 512-972-0000. If the issue is your side (not a utility outage), call a plumber.
For water damage mitigation: After the plumber stops the source, call a water mitigation company. They set up industrial fans and dehumidifiers to dry the affected areas before mold starts (mold can begin growing within 48-72 hours). Insurance typically covers mitigation costs. Don’t skip this step.
Step 5: What to Tell the Plumber When You Call
Be specific. The more detail you give, the faster they can triage and dispatch.
- What’s happening right now? (Water spraying, toilet overflowing, sewage coming up, no water, gas smell)
- Where in the house? (Kitchen, master bath, garage, under the slab)
- Did you shut off the water? (Yes/no, and how — main valve, fixture valve, meter)
- How long has it been happening?
- How much water is involved? (Puddle, flooded room, minor drip)
- Your address and the best phone number to reach you
Gas Leak Safety (Read This Section Even If You Don’t Have an Emergency)
Gas leaks are the one plumbing emergency where doing the wrong thing can be fatal.
If you smell gas (rotten egg smell):
- Do NOT turn on or off any light switches. Electrical switches can create sparks.
- Do NOT use your phone inside the house. Cell phones are extremely low risk but landlines and cordless phone bases can spark.
- Do NOT start your car in the garage.
- Do NOT light a match, lighter, candle, or stove.
- Leave the house immediately. Take everyone including pets.
- Once outside, call 911. Then call Texas Gas Service: 800-959-5325.
- Do not re-enter the house until a gas technician or fire department clears it.
- After the area is safe, call a plumber for the gas line repair.
If you smell gas only faintly near an appliance (stove, water heater, dryer), it may be a small leak at a connection. Open a window. Do not use that appliance. Call a plumber for a leak check. This is urgent but not an immediate evacuation unless the smell is strong or spreading.
What’s an Emergency and What Can Wait Until Morning
Call right now (even at 2 AM):
- Water is actively flowing and you can’t stop it
- Sewage is backing up into the house
- You smell gas
- A pipe has burst
- A water heater is flooding
- Your home has no water and neighbors do (it’s your system, not the utility)
Call in the morning (save $150-$250 in emergency dispatch):
- Faucet is dripping
- Toilet is running (but not overflowing)
- Drain is slow (but not backing up)
- Water heater is making noise but still producing hot water
- Water pressure seems low
- You notice a water stain but no active dripping
The difference: is damage actively happening right now, or is this a problem that exists but isn’t getting worse by the minute? If it’s actively getting worse, call now. If it’s stable, call during business hours and save the emergency premium.
Your Emergency Kit (Assemble This Now)
Keep these near your main shutoff valve:
- Meter key ($10, Home Depot). Opens the meter box lid and turns the street-side shutoff.
- Flashlight. Meter boxes are dark. Crawlspaces are dark. Under-sink cabinets are dark.
- Adjustable wrench. For shutoff valves that are stiff.
- Bucket and old towels.
- This page printed out. With your shutoff locations filled in and your emergency numbers listed.
Ironclad Plumbing: (833) 597-1932. We respond to emergency calls 24/7.