Burst Pipe Repair
Split copper, rusted galvanized nipples, failed PEX fittings and cracked yard lines repaired fast, with the cause found so the next joint does not go too.
See the detailsEmergency plumbing in Los Angeles, answered at any hour
Water is coming through the ceiling, the toilet is backing up into the tub, or the water heater just let go in the garage. We answer around the clock and start by telling you how to stop the damage.
- Answered 24/7
- From 746 S Broadway
- Repairs & emergencies
The short answer
Emergency plumbing covers anything that is actively damaging the house or making it unsafe: a burst or split pipe, a sewer backup, a leaking water heater, no water at all, or a gas smell. You need it the moment water is spreading or waste is coming up a drain. Shut the main water valve first, then call. We answer 24/7 and send a plumber with stock on the truck.
Warning signs
Plumbing problems that should not wait until morning
- Water spreading across floorsA split supply line can put out several gallons a minute. Every minute it runs soaks more drywall, subfloor and baseboard.
- Sewage rising in a tubWhen the lowest drain in the house fills with dirty water as you flush or run the washer, the main line is blocked and the next flush can overflow.
- Water heater leaking from the bottomA wet pan or puddle under the tank usually means the tank itself has rusted through. It will not reseal, and it can fail all at once.
- Rotten egg smell indoorsThat odor is added to natural gas so you notice a leak. Leave the house, then call SoCalGas or 911 before you call a plumber.
- Ceiling stain growing fastA brown ring that darkens or drips while you watch means a pipe or drain above is leaking right now, not slowly over months.
- No water anywhere in the houseIf neighbors have water and you do not, the problem may be your main line, a failed pressure regulator or a closed or broken valve.
What to do before our plumber gets to your door
Find the main shutoff and turn it clockwise until it stops. In most Los Angeles houses it sits where the supply pipe comes out of the ground, usually along the front wall facing the street, near the hose bib.
If the leak is on the hot side or at the water heater, also close the cold inlet valve on top of the tank and turn the gas control to pilot or off. For an electric heater, flip its breaker. Open a faucet at the lowest point in the house to drain pressure off the lines so the leak slows.
Move rugs and electronics out of the wet area and take a few photos before you mop. Our guide on the first fifteen minutes after a pipe bursts walks through the order step by step.
Which emergencies we handle on a night or weekend call
A late-night call is about stopping damage and getting the house usable again. Sometimes that means a full repair on the spot. Other times it means a solid temporary fix, such as capping a line or isolating one bathroom, so you have water in the kitchen and a working toilet until a larger job can be planned in daylight.
We carry copper, PEX, fittings, valves, wax rings, supply lines, drain machines and a sewer camera on the truck, so most common failures can be finished in one visit.
- Split copper, galvanized or PEX supply lines
- Main line backups and overflowing toilets
- Leaking or burst water heaters
- Failed shutoff valves that will not close
- Broken pressure regulators flooding fixtures
- Gas line repair after the utility has made the area safe
Why so many LA emergencies start with old valves and old pipe
A lot of after-hours calls in Los Angeles trace back to houses built between the 1920s and the 1960s. Galvanized steel supply pipe rusts from the inside, and the threads at each fitting are the thinnest point. A fitting that held for decades can let go when someone closes a valve or when water pressure spikes overnight.
Hard water adds to it. Scale builds up inside gate valves and angle stops until they seize, so when something leaks the homeowner reaches for the valve and it will not turn. Replacing worn valves on a regular visit, through our shutoff valve service, turns a future flood into a two-minute fix.
Older clay and cast iron sewer laterals are the other common source, with street tree roots choking the joints until a full house finally overwhelms the line.
How an emergency visit is priced and what it can include
Nights, weekends and holidays carry a higher trip charge than a scheduled weekday visit, because a plumber is leaving home to come out. Once we are there and the water is off, we tell you what we found and give you the price for the repair before any work starts.
If the fix is small, like replacing a toilet supply line or an angle stop, the visit is short. If the problem is larger, such as a main sewer blockage that needs clearing from the cleanout or a slab leak, we stabilize the house first and lay out the options for a planned repair.
On the job
How an emergency plumbing call runs from first ring to fixed
- STEP1
Answer and triage
We pick up, ask what you see and hear, and talk you through closing the main valve or the heater's gas or power before anything else.
- STEP2
Dispatch with stock
A plumber heads out with the parts and tools that match what you described, whether that is pipe and fittings, a drain machine or a camera.
- STEP3
Find the true source
Water often shows up far from the leak. We trace it back to the failed pipe, valve or drain before we cut or open anything.
- STEP4
Stop it and price it
We make the area safe, explain the cause, and give you the repair price. Nothing proceeds until you agree.
- STEP5
Repair and test
We make the repair, restore water slowly, and check every fitting we touched under full pressure.
- STEP6
Plan the next step
If the failure points to a bigger issue like old galvanized lines, we tell you plainly and leave the decision to you.
What makes plumbing emergencies in Los Angeles different
Most LA houses put the main shutoff outside near the front hose bib, but many owners have never touched it and find it buried under ivy or seized with scale. In the City of Los Angeles the meter and curb valve belong to LADWP; other cities such as Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena run their own water departments. Raised-foundation homes in older neighborhoods give us crawlspace access, while Valley slab homes hide pipes in concrete. Hillside streets and narrow canyon roads can slow a truck, so we ask about parking and access when you call.
Typical pricing
Typical emergency plumbing costs in Los Angeles
Price depends on the hour, what failed, how hard it is to reach, and whether drywall, a slab or a yard has to be opened to get to it.
| Job | Typical LA range |
|---|---|
| After-hours visit with a small repair (supply line, angle stop, wax ring) | $250 to $550 |
| Burst copper or PEX pipe repair in an open wall or crawlspace | $400 to $1,200 |
| Main sewer line clog cleared through an existing cleanout at night | $350 to $850 |
| Emergency 40 or 50 gallon gas water heater replacement | $2,000 to $3,800 |
These are typical ranges, not a quote, and the final price shifts with access, pipe material, permits and any drywall or concrete that has to be opened. See every job in our LA price guide.
Questions we hear
Emergency Plumbing questions from LA customers
Should I call an emergency plumber or SoCalGas if I smell gas in the house?
Leave the house first, without flipping switches, and call SoCalGas or 911 from outside. The utility will shut off and check the gas. Once they have made it safe and tagged the problem, call us for the gas line repair, and we will fix the leaking pipe or fitting and have the system pressure tested before service is restored.
Can an emergency plumber come out on Christmas or Thanksgiving in Los Angeles?
Yes. We answer 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays. Holidays are actually a busy time for sewer backups because a full house runs more water and food waste through old lines. The holiday trip charge is higher than a weekday visit, and we tell you that on the phone before anyone drives out.
What if my main water shutoff will not turn during a plumbing emergency?
Do not force it with a pipe wrench, because an old gate valve stem can snap and make the leak worse. In the City of Los Angeles there is also a curb valve in the meter box at the sidewalk. Tell us when you call, and we can talk you through it or close it when we arrive.
Will an emergency plumbing visit fix the whole problem in one night?
Often it does. Burst pipes, failed valves, toilet backups and many water heater failures are finished the same visit. Larger jobs like a slab leak reroute or a collapsed sewer line usually get a safe temporary fix that night, so you have water and drains, with the permanent repair planned for a daytime slot.
Does an emergency plumber in LA handle sewage coming up through the shower?
Yes. Sewage in a shower or tub means the main line is blocked downstream of that drain. Stop running water and do not flush. We clear the line through the cleanout, then usually run a camera down the line so you know whether roots, grease or a broken section of clay pipe caused it.
Coverage
Where we handle emergency plumbing most
These are the communities that call us for this most often, with their main ZIP codes. The same 24/7 line covers every one of our 68 service areas.
- Los Angeles 90014
- Long Beach 90802
- Santa Clarita 91355
- Glendale 91205
- Pasadena 91101
- Torrance 90503
- Downey 90241
- Burbank 91502
- Reseda 91335
- Sylmar 91342
- Pacoima 91331
- Panorama City 91402
- North Hills 91343
- San Pedro 90731
- Granada Hills 91344
- Inglewood 90301
- El Monte 91731
- West Covina 91790
- Anaheim 92805
- Santa Ana 92701
- Whittier 90601
Often booked together
Related plumbing work
Leak Detection
Hidden supply, slab and drain leaks pinpointed with meter checks, pressure isolation, acoustic listening and thermal imaging, so repairs start with one small opening.
See the detailsWater Heater Replacement
Failed or aging tank water heaters swapped for new gas or electric units, with seismic straps, venting, relief piping, gas connections and the permit handled.
See the detailsMain Line Clog Clearing
Main sewer line clearing from the cleanout with heavy cable machines and root cutters, for backups that hit the lowest drains in the house at the same time.
See the detailsNeed emergency plumbing today?
Call the line any hour. A plumber answers, asks what you are seeing and tells you what happens next.