An urgent plumbing call in Longview usually starts one of a few ways: a water heater in the attic or a closet has started leaking, a supply line under a sink has split, the sewer is backing up after a heavy rain, or a rare hard freeze has cracked a pipe. The goal in the first few minutes is to stop the water and keep everyone safe.
Stop the water first
- 1Find the main shutoff. In a house on a slab, check the meter box by the street or the spot where the line comes out of the ground next to the house. Some homes have a valve in the garage or a utility closet too. A meter box valve may need a meter key or large pliers.
- 2Open a faucet outside or at the lowest point in the house to let the pressure off.
- 3Deal with the water heater if it is the source. Close the cold water valve on top, set a gas unit to off, or switch off the breaker for an electric one.
- 4Watch for electricity. If water is near outlets, light fixtures or the panel, stay out of it.
- 5Call us and say what is leaking, where, and whether the water is off.
If you smell gas, leave the house before doing anything else and call your gas company or 911 from outside.
Attic water heaters
Plenty of Texas homes have a water heater in the attic or above a garage. When one of those tanks fails, the water comes through the ceiling. Signs to act on right away: a stain spreading across the ceiling under the heater, water dripping from a light fixture, or the drain pan under the tank full. Shut off the water and power or gas to the heater, put buckets down, and call.
What needs a plumber now
- A burst pipe or water running inside a wall or ceiling.
- A leaking water heater, or one that smells of gas.
- Sewage coming up through a tub, shower or toilet.
- A wet or warm patch on a slab floor that keeps spreading.
- A fixture running nonstop with no shutoff that works.
A drip, one slow drain or a toilet that runs now and then can wait for a regular visit, as long as the water is off at that fixture.
Why storms and freezes bring emergency calls
Longview averages about 48 inches of rain a year. In a long wet spell, a sewer line with cracked joints can take in water and roots, and the backup often shows at the lowest drain in the house or an outdoor cleanout. If sewage comes up during a storm, stop running water in the house until a plumber has looked.
Freezes are rare here, with only about 0.7 inches of snow in a normal year, but the record low is minus 5 F. Homes built for heat often have pipes in attics and outside walls. A pipe that freezes overnight may not leak until it thaws, so check the attic and under sinks the morning after a hard freeze.
When you call
A licensed plumber who takes urgent jobs in Longview calls you back, asks a few questions and tells you when they can come. On site they find the cause, make it safe and give you a price for the repair before doing it.
Late night, weekend and holiday visits depend on the business taking the call, and they often cost more. Ask about any after hours charge before the plumber heads out.
Common questions
What do I do first if a pipe bursts in Longview?
Turn off the main valve, often in the meter box near the street on slab homes, then open a faucet to drain pressure. Keep clear of water near electrics and call a plumber.
My attic water heater is leaking. What now?
Shut off the cold water valve on top of the heater and the gas or power to it, catch the water with buckets, and call. Watch the ceiling below for sagging.
Why does sewage back up when it rains?
A cracked or root-filled sewer line can take in water during heavy rain. A plumber can clear it and check the line with a camera.
Is an emergency visit more expensive?
Often, yes, at night, on weekends and on holidays. Ask about any extra charge when the plumber calls you.