When a plumbing problem materializes, you don’t have time to wait for an opening in someone’s schedule.

Whether the leak is in a supply line or a drain, your home simply doesn’t function properly when the plumbing malfunctions.

And the longer a plumbing problem goes untreated, the worse the damage often is.

A small leak can ruin large amounts of drywall in a matter of hours, or cause moisture that can lead to detrimental mold and mildew issues that you might fight for years to come.

So if you value your home, you will want to handle any leaky plumbing as quickly as possible.

But what if you’ve already called the plumbers that you know of nearby, and they don’t have any time today?

This is when it’s important to have a backup plan, and searching for plumbers near me may be your best option. Consider finding an emergency plumber who prioritizes quick, effective fixes for big problems and keeps their number on speed dial.

Lots of Water, Lots of Trouble: Knowing When a Plumbing Problem Needs a High Priority Status

Sometimes a leaky faucet is something that can wait for a while (especially if it is leaking on the cold side–hot water leaks are pricier.)

But if your washer or dishwasher suddenly starts leaking from the drain, you’ve got a major problem that is going to stack up to gallons of water before relief is possible.

Large volumes of water can cause thousands of dollars of damage to surfaces and even the structure of the home, and the cost compounds rapidly as the amount of water increases.

Depending on your machine, it may be possible to stop the water from draining as soon as the leak is discovered. Most dishwashers and wash machines rely on a pump to expel the water at the end of a cycle, so cutting off the power by turning the machine off, unplugging it, or flipping the breaker can be enough to make the flow of water stop.

But nobody wants to leave a washer full of soaking clothes or a dishwasher of half-cleaned dishes for very long, so the sooner the plumber arrives, the better.

Burst Supply Lines: Expensive and Dangerous

Indoor plumbing is an amazing innovation that has changed human life for the better in many regards.

Unfortunately, it also means you can have a monsoon happening under your own roof.

Whether pipes froze in winter, causing the water in the pipes to expand and burst the lines, or whether some accidental impact cracked a line or fitting, a broken supply line basically means an unlimited rainstorm–often behind a wall where the damage is difficult to mitigate.

Sometimes an unreliable fitting was used in the first place, or a plumber took shortcuts in the installation that resulted in a failure years later.

And sometimes homeowners dive into a renovation project, perhaps using a sawsall to cut through drywall in order to make new storage space–only to cut right through a water line.

Whatever the reason, the first step is to try to turn off the water pressure to that line.

Good installation practice requires that there be shutoff valves for all water lines in the home, accessible either in the basement or crawlspace, or else through access hatches somewhere nearby in the house.

If you cannot find a valve, your only option will be to cut off the supply to the house, whether by turning the valve from the supply line to the house or by turning off the well pump circuit breaker.

Whether you succeed in cutting off the water supply to the broken line or not, you will want a plumber ASAP. Going without water for any length of time is an inconvenience you don’t want to deal with, and if you are unsuccessful in stopping the flow of water to the leaky pipe, the damage is accruing and growing every second.

Ensuring That an Emergency Plumber is Reliable

When you are looking through search results for local plumbers, it is vital not to simply call in any plumber who is available.

A bad plumber who does a cheap, shoddy repair is virtually guaranteeing that you will have the same problem again.

On the other hand, a good plumber will make the repair and also alert you to other potential problems that may be threatening to occur in the near future.

Getting your plumbing assessed and potential problems resolved can save you thousands in the long term.

So always make sure to check the reviews on local plumbers. Real stories of satisfied customers are a great way to gauge whether this plumber is reliable and scrupulous, or just fast.

So if you don’t want to panic and make a bad choice during your next plumbing emergency, don’t wait. Decide today who is going to be your reliable emergency plumber, and save their number.

How to Find a Reliable Plumber Near Me to Protect Your Home’s Value was last modified: January 20th, 2026 by Billy Guteng