A plumbing problem is an emergency if it affects your pipes or water system and requires immediate fixing. Major problems like a big water leak, a burst pipe, or an overflowing toilet definitely fit into this category because of the potential damage they can cause if not fixed pronto. Problems with your plumbing can also affect your daily life if they cause you to have no water at all or if they involve your water heater. In these situations, calling in the professionals is always a good plan.

An emergency plumber visit can cost a lot of money—more than you might think. And the reason it can vary so much is because it's not just this one service that you have to think about. It's also where you live and how serious the plumbing problem really is. So, in many places across the country, you're probably looking at somewhere between $100 and $200 just for the plumber to come out to your place. And that's not counting the parts. And that's not counting how late at night it might be. And that's not counting the weekends when they've always got this high gig economy thing going. So, yeah, count on it costing more. And if you really want to know how much more, ask the guy to give you an estimate before they get started.

Text rephrased with original structure and formatting preserved. Calling 911 is not meant for plumbing problems. A plumbing emergency isn't a police, fire, or medical emergency and needs a different kind of help. A plumber has the right tools and the right type of skills to fix a plumbing problem. If a plumbing emergency has you worried, it might be a good idea to learn where the main water shutoff valve is in your house and to practice turning it off.

The length of time an emergency plumber takes to arrive can vary. It often depends on their proximity to your home and how many calls they have to handle. Usually, they might reach you in about an hour, but when they have a very full schedule, that timeframe can stretch quite a bit. It's good to let them know and give a sense of urgency to your plumbing problem so they understand the necessity of coming quickly.

Toilet not flushing can be a big problem, but it's not always a true emergency. It depends on a few things. If you're dealing with a lack of functioning toilets and this is the only one in your house, it might feel like an emergency. But sometimes, the problem can be simply resolved. It could be that the water tank isn't filling up, or maybe something is blocking the pipe. Having a second toilet may give you the freedom to wait for regular business hours to call a guy with a wrench. But if there is water spilling on the floor, that's a different story. The potential for damage makes this a more serious scenario, probably one in which a call for help is better placed to the emergency services contingent of your local plumbing company.

There are several situations that make it absolutely essential to call an emergency plumber.First: a burst pipe. This can greet you with a veritable tsunami of water inside your formerly dry premises—and threaten to do an awful lot of damage in a very short time.Second: an overflowing toilet that just won’t quit. A gusher of that sort, if it goes on long enough, is almost bound to make a mess that will need a clean-up crew.Third: If you smell gas or hear a hissing noise coming from near your water heater—that might not be your mind playing tricks on you; you might have a gas leak, and that’s dangerous!Fourth: If you’re sitting there with no water coming from your taps whatsoever, this is either a really big problem or a call to your company’s customer service to report a problem. In any of these scenarios, however, contacting a plumbing professional posthaste can help save you from some serious inconvenience and expense.

A toilet that is out of order can definitely feel like an emergency, particularly if it’s the only one in the house. Imagine being unable to flush and how that could lead to even bigger disasters like floods or bad smells. It’s best to try and fix what you can, checking first to see if there are any blockages preventing it from functioning. If it’s clear and you still can’t get it to flush, check the lift chain: is it whole and in working order? If you can’t check that yourself or if you can and it’s obvious the parts are broken, you may need to get a plumber in to find the problem and make the necessary repairs.

If your toilet is backed up and you can't get it working again with a plunger, it's time to call a professional. A plumber will have the know-how (and the tools) to not only get your toilet unclogged, but also to ensure that the problem doesn't happen again. After all, a clogged toilet isn't just an inconvenience—it can be a health hazard and a serious emergency.

An emergency can undoubtedly be a stopped-up toilet. An overflowing toilet can cause a huge mess and water damage in the bathroom. If it’s the only toilet in the house, it needs to be fixed pronto so folks can keep using it. Sometimes, a stopped-up toilet can mean a bigger problem in the pipes. You get it fixed right away to avoid all that trouble. Here's how to know when your toilet's having problems and what to do about it.

Not having a functioning toilet might not be against the law everywhere, but it can create a huge inconvenience. In many places, especially for renters, there are laws that require landlords to maintain essential things like toilets. If the toilet doesn't work, it could also be seen as a health issue because, let's face it, everybody needs a safe and sanitary way to take care of business. If the toilet isn't working, you want to get it fixed pronto—plumbing problems have a way of getting worse and causing a lot more damage (not to mention creating a huge inconvenience) if they're not taken care of in a timely manner.