Emergency plumbing, and what to shut off before we arrive

Two things to try. Look for fixture shutoffs closer to the leak, under sinks and behind toilets, which isolate one fixture without the main. And if the leak is on hot water only, the shutoff on the cold inlet at the top of the water heater will stop it. If the main itself will not turn, do not force it hard enough to snap it, because that turns one problem into a much worse one. Call, tell us that on the phone, and we will treat it as higher priority since you have no way to stop the water yourself.

After hours work is charged at a higher rate than a scheduled visit, which is standard across the trade. What matters is that you are told the rate on the phone before we dispatch, so the decision is yours with the number in front of you. The diagnostic and the repair are quoted separately, and nothing gets replaced without your approval. If the honest answer is that shutting a valve holds it safely until morning at a lower rate, we will say that.

Gently, and never with an open flame. A hair dryer or a heat lamp working from the faucet end back toward the frozen section is the safe method, with the tap left open so melting water can escape and you can see progress. A blowtorch on a pipe is how house fires start, and it can also boil trapped water and rupture the pipe. Keep the heat moving, and stop and call if you cannot locate the frozen section or if the pipe is inside a wall. Also worth knowing that a pipe can be split by ice and only leak once it thaws, so watch it closely afterwards.

No. Stop using every fixture in the house, including sinks, showers, the washing machine and the dishwasher, because everything you run adds to what has nowhere to go. Keep people and pets away from the affected area, since this is contaminated water rather than clean, and do not attempt to clear it with drain chemicals, which make the situation more hazardous for whoever has to work in it. If the backup affects the whole house rather than one fixture, the blockage is likely in the main line, and that is worth saying when you call because it changes who needs to attend.

That is a frozen pipe until proven otherwise, and it is two problems that need solving together. Tell us both when you call, because we hold heating and plumbing licenses and can send one crew rather than two contractors who each need the other to go first. Restoring heat is usually the priority, since it starts thawing the system and prevents more sections freezing, but it also means any split pipe will begin leaking once it thaws. Both of those need someone present, which is why it is one visit.

Stop the water first, then call us, then call your insurer. Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, so acting quickly helps rather than hurts a claim. Photograph everything before cleaning up, keep any failed part we remove, and keep the invoice. We are not insurance adjusters and will not advise you on your policy, but we will document what we found and what we did, which is what you will be asked for.