Emergency plumber in Phoenix: what to do in the first ten minutes

No. Plumber Phoenix Pros is an independent information guide, not a licensed contractor and not an emergency service. We do not answer phones, we cannot send anyone to your home, and email replies are not immediate. Use the steps and official numbers below, then contact a licensed plumbing contractor directly.

The Phoenix numbers apply to City of Phoenix water and sewer customers. If you live in Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale or another Valley city, use the emergency number printed on your utility bill. Our locations section lists the utility for each city we cover.

1. Close the house shutoff valve.Phoenix Water Services says to turn off your water using the valve near where the water line enters your home. It warns in capital letters not to attempt to turn off the water at the meter yourself; the meter and box are city property. If your valve is broken or will not close, call 602-261-8000 and the city can shut off service at the meter.
2. Stay out of standing water if it could reach outlets, cords or appliances. If water is near your electrical panel, do not touch it.
3. Open a faucet at the lowest point of the house to drain the remaining water from the lines.
4. Turn off the water heater. For a gas unit, set the control to off or pilot; for an electric unit, switch off its breaker if you can reach the panel safely.
5. Photograph the damage before you move anything, for your insurer.

Once the water is off, you usually have time to compare quotes. Our emergency plumbing cost guide explains after-hours rates and the questions to ask before anyone drives out.

Leave first, call second. Southwest Gas tells people to exit the area or building immediately, tell others to leave, and leave doors open. From a safe place, call 911 and Southwest Gas at 877-860-6020, day or night, whether or not you are a customer. Until you are outside, do not smoke or use matches or lighters, do not operate electric switches, thermostats or appliance controls, and do not start or stop an engine or use a garage door opener.

Do not try to find the leak or relight a pilot yourself. Under A.R.S. 32-1121, Arizona's small-job licensing exemptions do not apply to any work that connects to natural gas or propane, so any repair to a gas water heater or gas line should be done by a licensed contractor.

The CPSC lists headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness and confusion as symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. If you suspect it, get outside to fresh air immediately and then call 911. The CPSC recommends CO alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas, ideally interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound.

Stop using water in the house so you do not add to the backup. Phoenix Water Services says the city is only responsible for city-owned infrastructure; everything from the connection point back to the house belongs to the owner. If you believe the city sewer is causing the overflow, call 602-262-6691 during weekday business hours or 602-261-8000 after hours and on weekends. If the city line is clear, the blockage is in your private line and you will need a licensed contractor. Our sewer line repair page explains what happens next.

Give your address and cross street, what failed, whether the water or gas is off, and how long it has been leaking. Ask for the company's Arizona Registrar of Contractors license number and check it in the ROC contractor search while you wait. Ask for the trip fee and hourly rate before anyone drives out. In Phoenix, permitted repairs may start in an emergency as long as the permit application is filed within 72 hours, so ask who will file it.

Once the immediate danger is over, our contact page explains how to email us a non-urgent question. To reach a plumber, call one of the licensed contractors listed on this page or see all listed contractors.