Emergency Plumber in La Palma, CA

What counts as a plumbing emergency

Some plumbing problems can wait until Monday. Others can't wait an hour. As a rule of thumb, it's an emergency if water is going somewhere it shouldn't and you can't stop it, if sewage is coming back into the house, or if you smell gas. In La Palma homes, the calls that can't wait usually look like this:

• A pipe has burst or a supply line under a sink or toilet has split
• Water is coming up through the floor, or you can hear it running with every tap off
• Toilets, tubs or floor drains are backing up with sewage
• The water heater is leaking from the bottom of the tank
• There's no water to the house at all
• You smell gas near the water heater or a gas appliance

Do this first

A few minutes of the right action can save a floor, a cabinet or a whole room.

1. Shut off the main water valve. In most La Palma homes it's outside, near the front of the house where the line comes in from the street, or in a box near the sidewalk. Turn it clockwise until it stops. Find it now, before you need it.
2. Turn off the water heater if it's leaking. On a gas unit, set the control to "off" or "pilot." On an electric unit, switch it off at the breaker. Then close the cold-water valve on top of the tank.
3. Kill power to any outlets or appliances near standing water.
4. Stop using drains if sewage is backing up. Every flush and every load of laundry adds to the problem.
5. If you smell gas, leave the house, don't flip switches, and call the gas company's emergency line from outside.
6. Take photos of the problem and any damage before you start cleaning up.

Why slab homes make emergencies trickier

Most La Palma houses were built in the 1960s and 70s on concrete slab foundations, with water lines running under or through the slab. That means some leaks don't show up as a drip from the ceiling; they show up as warm spots on the floor, a water bill that suddenly jumps, damp carpet in one corner, or the sound of water running when nothing is on. Shutting off the main valve stops the damage while a plumber works out where the water is going. See slab leak repair for more on these.

What an emergency plumber typically does

The first goal is to stop the water and make the home safe. That might mean capping a broken line, replacing a failed supply hose, shutting down and draining a leaking water heater, or clearing a main sewer line so the drains work again. Once the immediate problem is under control, the plumber can explain what caused it and what a permanent fix involves, whether that's a new water heater, a section of re-piped line, or a sewer line repair.

For sewer backups, the cause is often roots or buildup in the line between the house and the street. A plumber will usually clear the line first, then may suggest a camera inspection to see what's actually going on inside the pipe. See sewer line repair.

A few minutes of prevention

• Know where your main shutoff is, and make sure it turns. Old valves can seize.
• Replace rubber washing machine hoses with braided steel ones. They're a common source of sudden floods.
• Check under sinks for drips or corroded supply lines once or twice a year.
• Look at the base of the water heater for rust or moisture. A tank that's starting to weep won't hold forever.
• Keep grease, wipes and food scraps out of the drains.

When you call

It helps to have your address, what's happening, whether you've been able to shut the water off, and roughly how old the house and water heater are. Call to reach a local plumber who serves La Palma and the surrounding area.