Water spraying under your sink, a toilet that won't stop rising, sewage coming up the drain: that's an emergency, and every minute it sits does more damage to your floors and walls. Call now and a plumber heads your way, usually at your door in about 45 minutes.
Find the main shut-off valve, usually near the street or where the water line enters the house. Turn it clockwise until it stops. If a single fixture is leaking, the small valve under it may do the trick.
If water is spreading toward outlets, appliances, or your electrical panel, flip the breaker for that area. Don't stand in standing water to reach the panel. If you can't get to it safely, stay back and tell us when we call.
After the main is off, open a faucet on the lowest level of the house. This drains pressure and pulls remaining water out of the pipes so less spills at the break.
Get rugs, boxes, and electronics off the wet floor. Grab towels to slow the spread. Don't try to open a wall or pull apart pipes yourself. Leave that for the plumber.
Tell us what you see and what you've shut off. Keep your phone close so the plumber can reach you for gate codes or directions on the way.
When the plumber arrives, the first job is stopping the water and the damage. They'll confirm the leak source, isolate it, and get pressure under control. Then they run a real diagnosis: camera down the line for a sewer backup, leak locating for a slab leak, or a pressure check on a burst supply line. You'll hear what's going on before any repair starts.
Some things can't wait. A burst pipe, a sewage backup, no water to the whole house, a water heater dumping onto the floor, or the smell of gas are all call-right-now situations. A slow drip, a running toilet, or a garbage disposal that quit are real annoyances, but they can usually wait for a scheduled visit the next day. When you're not sure, call and describe it. We'd rather help you sort it out than have you guess.
If you smell gas, skip the troubleshooting. Get everyone outside, don't flip switches or light anything, and call from a safe spot away from the house. Gas line trouble is one thing we handle, but your safety comes first and that means clearing the area before anyone starts work.
We cover the whole peninsula and beyond: New Monterey, Cannery Row, Old Town, Del Monte Beach, Pacific Grove, Seaside, Marina, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pebble Beach, Carmel Valley, and out to Salinas. Wherever you are, tell us the cross streets and we'll point the closest plumber your way.
Nights, weekends and holidays cost the same as Tuesday morning. Call (210) 555-0134 and a Monterey plumber picks up.