When to Call an Emergency Plumber (and When to Wait Until Morning)
24 May 2026 · Plumbers On Duty
Quick answer
Call an emergency plumber if water is actively damaging your property, if there is sewage in the house, or if you have no water at all and cannot fix the cause. Everything else can usually wait until 8am.
The 5 situations that justify an after-hours call
1. A pipe has burst and you cannot stop the water
You have turned off the main and water is still coming out, or you cannot find the main valve. Call now — every hour of soaking destroys more flooring and ceilings.
2. The geyser is leaking from the body
Not the overflow pipe outside (that is the safety valve doing its job) — actual water coming out of the geyser cylinder itself, dripping through the ceiling. The geyser is failing and could split open at any time.
3. Sewage is backing up into the house
Through shower drains, bath drains, or the lowest toilet. The main drain is blocked and pressure is forcing waste up through the lowest fittings. Stop using all water immediately and call.
4. You have no water at all and your neighbours do
A supply pipe has burst on your side. Switch off the geyser so the element does not burn out, then call.
5. Gas smell or leak (gas geyser homes)
Do not switch any electrical switch on or off. Open windows. Shut the gas at the bottle. Leave the house. Call from outside.
"Emergencies" you can defer to 8am
By making the situation safe yourself, you save R900+ on call-out fees:
| Situation | What to do tonight | Why it can wait |
|---|---|---|
| Slow leak under a basin | Bucket + close the isolation valve under the basin | Damage is contained |
| Geyser overflow dripping outside | Switch geyser off at the DB | Pressure valve has tripped, not failing |
| One toilet blocked (you have another) | Close lid, do not flush | Use the other toilet |
| No hot water, cold works | Switch geyser off at the DB | You can shower cold for one night |
| Running toilet | Lift cistern lid, lift the float, close the inlet | No damage being done |
| Dripping tap | Tighten the handle, put a bucket under it | Saves water, no damage |
How to find your main water valve (do this NOW, before you need to)
- Walk to the front of your property and find the water meter (usually a round concrete cover near the boundary)
- Inside is a small valve — turn it clockwise to shut
- There may also be an isolation valve at the house where the supply enters — usually under the kitchen sink or in a service hatch
Knowing this saves you R1,500 the night you need it.
Questions to ask before they leave for you
- What is the call-out fee?
- Is that included in the invoice or on top?
- Hourly rate after the first hour?
- Estimated total for what I have described?
Get it in writing on WhatsApp.