What to Do While You Wait for an Emergency Plumber

The First Five Minutes Matter Most

A burst pipe or a flooded floor can make anyone freeze. Water spreads fast, and every minute it runs adds to the damage. The good news is that a few calm steps can cut the harm a lot while you wait for help. If you already know a pipe has split or a drain is backing up, you can read this page while you call. For round the clock help, our 24/7 emergency plumber team is a phone call away at +1 (515) 585-4137.

Start with the main water shutoff valve. In most Waukee homes it sits where the water line enters the house, often in a basement, a utility room or near the water heater. Many newer valves have a lever. Turn it a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe. Older valves have a round wheel. Turn the wheel clockwise, which means to the right, until it stops. Do not force it hard. If the valve is stiff, use both hands and steady pressure. A valve that has not moved in years may be stuck, and that is one more reason to test it each fall.

If the leak is from a single fixture, such as a toilet or a sink, look for a smaller shutoff valve on the wall or floor near it. These are called angle stops. Turning one clockwise stops water to only that fixture, so the rest of the house keeps running. When you are not sure which pipe is the problem, shut off the main. It is better to have no water for an hour than to have water pouring into a ceiling.

After the water is off, open a faucet on the lowest level and another on the top level. This drains the pipes and lowers the pressure that keeps pushing water out of the break. If the leaking water is hot, also turn off the water heater. For an electric heater, flip its breaker. For a gas heater, turn the gas control to the pilot or off setting. This protects the tank from running dry and being damaged.

Stay Safe Around Water, Power and Gas

Water and electricity are a bad mix. If water is dripping from a light fixture, a ceiling fan or around outlets, do not touch them. Go to your electrical panel, and if the floor around it is dry, switch off the breakers for the wet area. If the panel itself is wet, or you must stand in water to reach it, stay away and call 911 or your power company. Never walk through standing water in a basement if the water is near plugs, appliances or an extension cord.

Gas is a different kind of danger. If you smell rotten eggs, hear a hiss near a gas line or feel dizzy, leave the house at once. Do not flip switches, use a lighter or start a car in the garage. Call 911 from outside, and then call your gas utility. After the area is cleared, a plumber can check the pipes. Our gas line installation and repair page explains how we test lines and fittings once it is safe to return.

Sewage is the third hazard. If a toilet or floor drain is pushing up dirty water, treat it as unsafe. Keep children and pets away. Wear rubber boots and gloves if you must enter the room. Do not run more water down the drains, since that sends more waste into the same blocked line. Do not mix cleaning chemicals to fight the smell. Open a window if you can and close the door to the room. Backups often point to a main line problem, and our guide to the signs of a sewer line problem explains what that may mean.

Limit the Damage and Prepare for the Call

Once the water is off and the room is safe, protect what you can. Lift rugs, move furniture to dry ground and pick up boxes, books and electronics from the floor. Put a bucket under any ceiling drip. If a ceiling is bulging with water, poke a small hole in the lowest point of the bulge so it drains into a bucket, rather than letting it collapse. Use towels, a mop or a wet vacuum to pull up what you can. Fast drying helps stop mold, which can start growing in a day or two on damp drywall and carpet.

Take photos and short videos before you clean up. Capture the source of the leak, the wet walls and floors, and any damaged items. These pictures help your insurance claim. Write down the time you found the problem and the steps you took. Keep damaged items until your insurance company says you can throw them out. Many policies cover sudden water damage, such as a burst pipe, but not slow leaks that went on for months. Read your policy or call your agent to learn what yours says. Our guide to finding a hidden water leak shows how slow leaks are often caught.

When you call a plumber, be ready to describe what you see. Tell us where the water is coming from, how fast it flows and whether you got it shut off. Say if the pipe is copper, plastic or something else, if you know. Mention your water heater type and any smells or noises. These details help the plumber bring the right parts on the first trip. It also helps us decide how urgent the call is and how fast to send someone. Our about page explains how we handle each call from the first question to the final cleanup.

Common Mistakes and What Happens When the Plumber Arrives

The biggest mistake is waiting to see if the leak stops. Leaks almost never fix themselves. A pinhole can turn into a split overnight, especially during an Iowa cold snap when pipes are under stress. Another mistake is trying a risky fix on a gas line or a sewer backup. Tape, putty and clamps can slow a small water leak for a short time, but they are not repairs. Do not use drain chemicals on a backup, and do not use an open flame near any pipe. A third mistake is running the dishwasher, washer or showers during a backup, which only adds water to the problem.

When our plumber arrives, the first job is to stop the water and make the home safe. Next, the plumber finds the failed part, which may be a cracked supply line, a worn fitting, a split pipe or a failed valve. You will hear what went wrong in plain words, then see repair options with prices before work begins. In many cases the repair is done the same visit. If the pipe is old and brittle, we may suggest bigger work, and our repiping service page explains when that makes sense.

After the repair, the plumber checks nearby pipes and fittings for signs of the same wear, tests the pressure and turns the water back on slowly to check for drips. We can also tell you what to say to your insurance company and which photos help. We do not do the drying or the drywall work, but we can point you in the right direction. If a frozen pipe caused the problem, read how to prevent frozen pipes in Iowa winters so it does not happen again.

The best emergency is the one that never happens. Test your main shutoff once a year, replace rubber washing machine hoses every few years, and fix small drips as soon as you see them. Teach every adult in the home where the valve is. Keep a flashlight, towels, a bucket and our number near the utility area. A sump pump that fails during a storm is another common emergency, so see the warning signs of sump pump failure. If you live nearby, our West Des Moines plumbing page lists the help we give in that city.

Questions We Hear Most

Who can help with 24/7 emergency plumber?

Our licensed team can. Call +1 (515) 585-4137 for fast help, day or night, weekends and holidays included. Tell us what you see and we send the closest plumber with the right tools.

Do you offer free estimates?

Yes. We explain the problem and quote the price before we start. You approve the work first, so there are no surprises when the job is done.

Where is the main water shutoff in most homes?

It is usually where the water line enters the house, often in the basement, a utility room or near the water heater. Some homes also have a meter valve outside. Find yours before you need it.

Should I turn off the water heater during a leak?

Yes, if the leaking water is hot or if the tank may run empty. Switch off the breaker for an electric heater or set a gas heater to pilot. This keeps the unit safe until a plumber checks it.