The short answer
In a plumbing emergency, shut off the water first — the fixture valve for a local leak, or the home's main shutoff for a major leak — then turn off the water heater if it is involved, and call (678) 203-8627. Fast shutoff is what limits the damage.
What should you do first?
In most plumbing emergencies, stopping the water flow is the single most important action — it limits damage while help is on the way.
Immediate steps:
- 1Stop the water: close the fixture's shutoff valve for a local leak, or the home's main shutoff for a major leak or burst pipe
- 2If the water heater is leaking, turn off its power (breaker) or gas, then its water supply
- 3Keep electricity away from standing water — if water is near outlets or panels, stay clear and call an electrician/utility if needed
- 4Move valuables and soak up water to limit damage
- 5Call Head's Plumbing at (678) 203-8627 and describe what is happening
Do you know where your main shutoff is?
The best time to find your main water shutoff is before an emergency. It is often near where the water line enters the home, at the meter, or in a basement, crawl space, or garage. Knowing its location — and that it turns — can save you thousands in water damage.
Sewage backup
If you have a sewage backup, avoid contact with the contaminated water, keep children and pets away, stop running water that drains to that line, and call for professional help promptly.
What counts as a plumbing emergency?
Call right away for:
- A burst pipe or a major, uncontrolled leak
- A water heater leaking from the tank
- A sewage backup into the home
- No water to the home, or a suspected gas leak (for gas odor, leave and call your gas utility first)
Who do you call?
Call Head's Plumbing at (678) 203-8627. We have helped metro-Atlanta homeowners through plumbing emergencies since 1981 — stay calm, stop the water, and let our licensed team take it from there.
Close your home's main water shutoff valve immediately to stop the flow, then open a low faucet to drain remaining pressure. Turn off the water heater if it is involved, and call a licensed plumber.
Yes — call (678) 203-8627. Most calls are handled the same business day, and after-hours emergencies are dispatched separately. Describe the situation and we will tell you the soonest we can arrive.
Treat a gas odor as serious: leave the home, avoid switches or flames, and call your gas utility's emergency line first. Once it is safe, a licensed plumber can address gas-line repairs.
Terms in this guide
- Slab leak
- A water-line leak in or beneath the concrete foundation slab of a home. Common signs include a warm spot on the floor, the sound of running water with everything off, an unexplained spike in your water bill, or cracking in the slab.
- Sump pump
- A pump set in a basin (the sump) at the low point of a basement or crawl space that automatically removes water that collects there, helping prevent flooding and moisture damage.
- Water service line
- The pipe that carries clean water from the city main (or your well) to your home. When it leaks or fails, it can cause low pressure, soggy spots in the yard, or a high water bill.