Emergency Plumber

The first five minutes

If you smell natural gas

Leave the building. Do not use a cellphone, operate electrical switches, smoke, light matches or create another ignition source inside. From a safe location, call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 or call 911. Do not return until emergency responders or the utility say it is safe. Follow FortisBC gas leak and odour guidance.

If water may be touching electricity

Stay out of flooded or wet areas where water may be in contact with a panel, receptacle, appliance, cord or other energized equipment. Do not approach a wet electrical panel or enter a flooded basement to turn off power. BC Hydro says the main electrical switch should be used only when the building is dry. Call 911 if there is an immediate danger and arrange qualified electrical help. Follow BC Hydro flood and electrical safety guidance.

If sewage is backing up

Stop using sinks, toilets, showers, dishwashers and washing machines. Keep people and pets away from the affected area. Do not handle contaminated water without appropriate protection. The immediate plumbing task is to stop adding flow and identify whether the blockage is in a fixture, private line or shared building system.

If clean water is actively leaking

If there is no gas or electrical hazard, close a safely accessible private main shutoff or local fixture valve. Do not force a valve that is damaged, corroded, inaccessible or resistant. Do not operate a municipal curb stop. External shutoff authority and responsibility depend on the municipality and property arrangement.

Move belongings away from the leak only when the area is safe. Use a container or towels for a contained leak if that does not bring you near electrical equipment, sewage or an unstable ceiling.

If a water heater is leaking

Treat gas odour and electrical exposure first. If the area is dry and the cold-water valve is safely accessible, close it without forcing it. Do not approach wet electrical controls or operate gas controls when gas odour is present. A plumber can assess whether the source is the tank, a connection, a valve, the relief discharge or another part of the system.

If a sump pit is rising

Stay out of standing water. Do not touch a plug, breaker, float, alarm, battery or pump when the pit area is wet or an electrical hazard may exist. Keep people away from the area and call for triage. The permanent service may involve the pump, switch, check valve, discharge, power supply or the source of water entering the pit.

What usually needs an urgent call

Call promptly when you have:

• an uncontrolled leak or burst pipe;
• sewage entering the home;
• gas odour;
• water near electrical equipment;
• a rising sump pit or water entering a finished area;
• a leaking water heater that cannot be safely isolated;
• no water throughout the home after checking for a known utility interruption; or
• a failed private shutoff during an active leak.

A dripping faucet, a slow drain or a running toilet may be suitable for a scheduled appointment when the water is contained and a safe local shutoff works. If you are unsure, call. The urgency depends on the active hazard, the amount and location of water, sewage exposure, weather, essential service loss and whether the problem can be safely isolated.

Stabilize first, then route the repair

Emergency Plumber is a triage and routing service. Once immediate hazards are addressed, the permanent work should move to the page and service that owns the repair:

• Burst Pipe Repair for a failed or frozen pipe section.
• Sump Pump Repair for a serviceable fault in an installed sump system.
• Water Heater Plumber for tank, connection, relief discharge, gas or electrical water-heater concerns.
• Sewer Lines for a probable building sewer or private sewer-line problem.
• Gas Lines for regulated gas work after FortisBC or emergency responders make the scene safe.
• Shutoff Valve Replacement when a private valve is proven to leak, fail, resist safe operation or provide unsuitable isolation.

The initial visit may focus on containment, investigation or permanent repair depending on the hazard, access, affected system and required trades. Electrical, gas, restoration, drying, hazardous-material and building work may require separate qualified providers.

Townhouses, condos, stratas and rentals

Contact the strata, property manager, landlord or building emergency contact as soon as practical. Responsibility can depend on the strata plan, bylaws, common-property definitions, the component that failed, the units served and the location of the failure. Do not assume that every pipe inside a unit belongs to the resident or that every shared pipe belongs to the strata.

When it is safe, document the time, visible damage, people contacted and actions taken. A renter should report the event through the property’s emergency process. Immediate damage-control actions should remain within safe, accessible controls and should not involve a municipal valve, wet electrical equipment or regulated gas equipment.

Choose the next step

For an active emergency or uncertain hazard, Call The Crazy Plumber at (236) 552-0190. The phone is available 24/7 for triage.

For a contained issue or non-emergency follow-up, Schedule Your Plumber. Share what is happening, whether the water is isolated, the home type and any safe photographs or relevant building contacts.