Urgent plumbing
When it cannot wait, start with a phone call
Speaking to a person is faster and more accurate than a form. Below are the steps that limit damage while you wait, written to be read quickly.
First priority
Shut the water off at the nearest valve, or the main, if it is safe to reach.
Second priority
Keep people and pets away from standing water near electrical equipment.
Then
Call (204) 555-0142 and describe what you can see.
Availability
What emergency service means here
An emergency visit is an unscheduled attendance to stop damage and make a property safe. It is not the same as a full repair, which sometimes needs daylight, parts or additional access.
Service hours (editable)
- Monday – Friday
- Placeholder: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday
- Placeholder: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Sunday
- Placeholder: by appointment
- After hours
- Placeholder: emergency line — confirm availability
What happens on the call
- We ask what you can see and whether it is isolated
- We talk you through shutting off, if it is safe
- Attendance timing is confirmed with you directly
- Anything better done in daylight is scheduled
Common emergencies
Situations that usually warrant an urgent call
If what you are dealing with is not on this list but water is escaping or a property is unusable, call anyway and describe it.
Burst or split supply line
Water escaping under pressure, often after a freeze. Isolate at the main shutoff if you can reach it safely.
Sewage backing up
Waste water at a floor drain or fixture. Stop using water in the building and keep people away from the area.
No water at all
Nothing at any fixture. Check whether neighbours are affected before assuming it is internal.
Water heater failure
Water pooling beneath the tank, or a unit that cannot be shut down safely.
Overflowing toilet that will not stop
Close the shutoff valve at the base. If it will not turn, close the main.
Sump pump failure with water rising
Particularly during melt or heavy rain. Move belongings clear of the floor if it is safe.
Immediate steps
What to do in the first few minutes
- 01
Stop the water
Close the nearest shutoff valve, or the main water shutoff for the building. This is the single most useful thing you can do.
- 02
Stay clear of electrical hazards
Do not walk into standing water near outlets, cords, panels or appliances. If in doubt, stay out and contact a qualified electrician or your utility.
- 03
Relieve the pressure
With the supply closed, open a low tap — a basement laundry sink is ideal — to drain water remaining in the pipes.
- 04
Protect what you can move
Lift textiles, move electronics and boxes, and place containers under active drips. Do not risk injury moving heavy items.
- 05
Photograph before cleaning up
A few photos of the source and the affected area are far more useful than a description written later.
- 06
Call and describe it
Say what you see, whether the water is off, how long it has been running, and whether electrical equipment is nearby.
Main water shutoff
Turning off the main water supply
If you have never done this before, read it once now — it is much easier to follow before an emergency than during one.
- 01Go to where the water service enters the building — usually a basement, mechanical room or utility closet.
- 02Look for a valve near the water meter. It will either be a round wheel handle or a straight lever.
- 03A lever valve closes with a quarter turn. A wheel valve turns clockwise, several full turns.
- 04Turn slowly. Do not force a valve that will not move — older valves can break or begin leaking when forced.
- 05Open a tap upstairs to confirm the flow has stopped and to relieve pressure in the system.
- 06If the valve will not close, or there is no accessible valve, call and say so — that changes what needs to happen next.
Sewage — additional caution
Sewage backing up into a building is a health matter as well as a plumbing one. Stop running water, keep people and pets out of the affected area, avoid contact with the water, and ventilate only if it is safe to do so. Do not attempt to clear a main line yourself.
If you smell gas
Leave the building immediately. Do not operate light switches, appliances or phones inside. From a safe distance outside, call your gas utility and emergency services. Call us only after the situation has been made safe by the appropriate authority.
Water near electricity
Water around panels, outlets or appliances should be treated as an electrical hazard. Do not enter the area. Contact a qualified electrician or your electrical utility first.
Before you call
Information that speeds things up
You do not need all of it — but the more of this you can say in the first minute, the better the advice you get.
- Your name, the service address and a number you can be reached on
- What you are seeing, and where in the building it is
- Whether the water has been shut off, and if not, why
- How long it has been happening
- Whether the property is residential or commercial
- Whether there is any electrical equipment near the water
- Whether anyone in the building has mobility or access needs
- Access details — parking, gate codes, building entry, pets
Service area
Winnipeg and surrounding Manitoba communities. Coverage outside the city, along with any travel charge, is confirmed when you book.
Winnipeg
- Downtown & Exchange
- North Winnipeg
- South Winnipeg
- St. Boniface & St. Vital
- Charleswood & West
- Transcona & East
Surrounding
- East St. Paul
- West St. Paul
- Headingley
- Oak Bluff
- St. Andrews
- Selkirk
- Stonewall
Not an emergency?
Use the service request form instead. It collects the details we need to schedule sensibly — including photos, access notes and a preferred appointment window.