Emergency Plumbing 101: What to Do When Disaster Strikes

Published September 30, 2024 · Mountain Grove Plumbing & Drains

Plumbing emergencies are defined by two things: they happen at the worst possible time, and every minute matters. Knowing what to do in the first 15 minutes of a burst pipe, a sewage backup, or a major leak can dramatically reduce the damage and the cost of repair. This guide covers the most common plumbing emergencies Burlington homeowners face and exactly what to do before the plumber arrives.

First: Know Where Your Shutoffs Are — Before You Need Them

The single most useful thing you can do right now is locate two shutoffs in your home: the main water shutoff and the individual fixture shutoffs under sinks and behind toilets. In a burst pipe situation, getting to the main shutoff within 60 seconds can mean the difference between a small repair and a major flood. In Burlington area homes, the main shutoff is typically in the basement near the front of the house where the water line enters from the street — often near the water meter.

Burst Pipe

Immediate steps:

• Shut off the main water supply immediately.
• Turn on all faucets in the house to drain remaining water from the pipes — this reduces pressure and stops water flowing from the break.
• Turn off your water heater at the breaker or thermostat (draining the system means the heater can overheat if it keeps firing).
• If water is near electrical panels, outlets, or appliances, shut off power to the affected area at the breaker.
• Move valuables and furniture away from water.
• Call a plumber.

What not to do: Don't use duct tape or pipe tape as a long-term fix. It buys time but not much of it. Don't ignore a small leak from a pipe — it will get worse, not better.

Sewage Backup

A sewage backup — raw sewage coming up through floor drains, toilets, or basement drains — is a health hazard and a plumbing emergency. It typically means a blockage in the main sewer line, either from a clog or from the municipal sewer surcharging back through your lateral.

Immediate steps:

• Stop using all water immediately — every flush, every running tap, every appliance adds to the backup.
• Don't try to drain or mop sewage yourself without proper protection. Raw sewage contains pathogens.
• Keep people and pets away from the affected area.
• Call a plumber for emergency service. This is not a situation for a wait-and-see approach.
• Ventilate the area if safe to do so — open windows if possible.

Note for Burlington homeowners: if the backup happens during or immediately after a heavy rainstorm, the cause may be the municipal sewer surcharging — water pushing backward through your sewer lateral from an overwhelmed street sewer. This is more common in lower-elevation neighbourhoods like Roseland and Shoreacres. A backwater valve prevents this; if you don't have one and experience repeated storm-related backups, it's worth investigating.

Overflowing Toilet

Immediate steps:

• Remove the tank lid and push the flapper down by hand — this stops water from refilling the bowl.
• Turn off the water supply valve behind the toilet (turn clockwise).
• Don't flush again — if the toilet is blocked, another flush makes it worse.
• If the overflow is contaminated (sewage, not just clean water), treat it as a sewage situation above.

Water Heater Leaking or Failing

A water heater leaking from the bottom is usually a sign that the tank itself has failed — which means replacement is needed, not repair. Leaking from valves or fittings may be repairable.

Immediate steps:

• Turn off the cold water supply to the heater (the valve on the pipe entering the top of the tank).
• For a gas heater: turn the gas valve to the pilot position.
• For an electric heater: shut off the breaker.
• Attach a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom and route it to a floor drain or outside to relieve pressure.
• Call for service or replacement.

Gas Line Concerns

If you smell gas — a distinctive rotten-egg odour — treat it as a gas emergency, not a plumbing call.

• Don't use any electrical switches, lights, or appliances.
• Don't use your phone inside the building.
• Evacuate immediately.
• Call 911 and Enbridge Gas from outside or from a neighbour's home.

After the Emergency: Document Everything

Before cleanup begins, photograph and video the damage from multiple angles. If you have home insurance, document water levels, affected materials, and damaged belongings. Your insurance company will ask for documentation before approving a claim, and the evidence is much harder to reconstruct after cleanup begins.

When to Call vs. When to Wait

Call immediately: burst pipe, sewage backup, gas smell, flooding, water heater failure near valuables or in a finished space. Call same-day: slow drain that just stopped draining entirely, toilet that won't stop running, leaking fixture you can isolate. Call when convenient: dripping faucet with no water damage risk, slow drain that's still mostly functional. The line between 'call when convenient' and 'call now' is always water damage risk — active water damage gets worse with every minute of delay.