What counts as a plumbing emergency in Vancouver?

What is considered a plumbing emergency?

A plumbing emergency is a problem that is causing damage or a health risk right now and will get worse if it waits. These count:

• A burst pipe, or any leak you can’t stop.
• Sewage coming up through a floor drain, tub or toilet.
• Water coming through a ceiling or out of a wall.
• A hot water tank that is leaking.
• No water at any tap in the house.
• The only toilet in the home blocked and overflowing.
• Frozen pipes, which can split as they thaw.

The City of Vancouver describes emergencies in similar terms: high-volume leaks, property damage caused by leaks or by sewer blockages and backups, broken mains and flooding on the street.

What should you do first in a plumbing emergency?

Stop the water, then make the area safe, then call.

1. Close the main water shut-off. The Government of BC gives the same first step for a burst pipe: turn off the main water valve, then call a plumber. Our guide on shutting off the main water supply shows where the valve usually is.
2. If the leak is at the hot water tank, close the cold water valve above the tank instead.
3. Keep away from water that is near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel.
4. For a sewage backup, stop running water and flushing toilets. Shutting off the main won’t help, because the water coming up is waste water.
5. Move what you can out of the way and put buckets or towels down.
6. Take photos for your insurer, then call a plumber.

Which plumbing problems can wait until morning?

A problem can wait if you can stop it or work around it without damage. A dripping tap can wait. So can a single slow drain, a running toilet once you’ve closed the valve behind it, and a toilet that is blocked but not overflowing when there is another one in the house.

No hot water is a judgment call. With no leak, it is uncomfortable but not urgent for most households. With a baby or an elderly person at home in winter, you may not want to wait.

If you aren’t sure, call and describe it. A good plumber will tell you honestly whether it can wait.

Is a sewer backup an emergency?

Yes. Sewage inside the house is a health hazard, and every litre of water you use adds to it. Stop using water, keep people away from it and call. Whether you phone a plumber or the city first depends on where you live. Our guide on sewer backups and who pays lists the numbers for Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby and North Vancouver.

Is a leaking hot water tank an emergency?

Treat it as one if water is coming from the tank itself. A tank that has started to leak doesn’t recover, and a slow seep can turn into a split. Close the cold water valve above the tank and switch the heater off at its breaker or gas control. Our guide on a leaking water heater covers the steps in order.

Is having no water an emergency?

It can be, but check with a neighbour before you call a plumber. If the houses around you have no water either, the problem is on the city’s side. The City of Burnaby says that when you and your neighbours are without water and the City sent no shut-off notice, a broken water main may be the cause.

If only your house is dry, Burnaby says it could be your plumbing or a City issue, and suggests hiring a plumber or asking for City staff to investigate. Vancouver’s guide splits it the same way and notes that the City is responsible for water up to the property line.

In freezing weather, no water at one tap or in one part of the house often means a frozen pipe. Our guide on frozen pipes explains how to thaw one safely.

Who do you call for a plumbing emergency, the city or a plumber?

Call the city for problems on public property and a plumber for problems inside your home. Vancouver’s guide sends water gushing from a maintenance hole, and water bubbling up on the street, boulevard or sidewalk, to 3-1-1. It sends an overflowing fixture above basement level, an overflowing stormwater sump and water seeping through basement walls to a plumber.

In Burnaby, emergency dispatch is 604-294-7200. The City lists a broken or leaking water line and sewage coming out of the sewer among the reasons to call it.

Some problems sit in between, such as a basement drain backing up. Vancouver notes that sometimes the City or a plumber can help with the same issue.

What should you do if you smell gas?

Leave, then call from outside. A gas smell is not a plumbing call. FortisBC’s instructions are:

1. Stop what you’re doing.
2. Don’t use your cellphone, smoke, light matches, flip electrical switches or create any other source of ignition.
3. Leave the door open behind you as you go, along with any windows that are already open.
4. Once outside, call the FortisBC emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 or dial 911.

What should you tell the plumber when you call?

Give the facts that decide what goes on the truck:

• Your address and the nearest cross street.
• What is leaking or backing up, and where in the house.
• Whether the water is shut off.
• Which fixtures are affected, one or several.
• Whether water is near electrical outlets or the panel.
• Anything you’ve already tried, including chemical drain cleaner.

When to call a plumber

Call a plumber right away when water is escaping and you can’t stop it, when sewage is coming up inside, or when the hot water tank is leaking. Call the same day for a blocked only toilet or frozen pipes.

DrainX is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency plumbing in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Call or text, tell us what is happening, and close the main shut-off while you wait.