Emergency Plumber in Salmon Arm

Calls answered 7 days. Emergency calls are taken when a plumber is available. You can call at any hour. A night visit depends on who is available to come out. We do not promise a response time.

What counts as an emergency

• A burst pipe, or water spraying where a pipe let go.
• Sewage coming up a floor drain, a tub, or a toilet.
• No water anywhere in the house.
• A water heater that is leaking onto the floor. A wet base usually means the tank has failed.
• A gas smell. That one is different: leave first, then call for help. Details are below.

A tap that drips, a toilet that runs, or a drain that is slow can usually wait for daytime. Send the form or call and say it is not urgent. Those jobs are covered on theleak repair,toilet and fixture, anddrain cleaning pages.

If you smell gas

Leave the building. Do not use switches, phones, or the stove on the way out. From outside, call 911 and FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911. Gas work is not a DIY stop, and it is not something to wait on. After the gas is safe, a plumber or a gas fitter can deal with the appliance. In BC, gas installs need a licensed gas fitter and a permit.

What to do in the first few minutes

1. Shut the main water valve. Turn it clockwise. In a lot of Salmon Arm homes it is where the line enters, in a mechanical room or a crawlspace. On a well, close the valve at the pressure tank and switch off the pump breaker so the pump does not keep pushing water.
2. If an electric water heater may be involved, switch off its breaker. Do not stand in water to reach a panel. For gas, turn the control to off only if you can do it without delay and you do not smell gas.
3. Move what you can off the wet floor: photos, documents, rugs, and anything on a low shelf.
4. Take photos before cleanup. Insurers usually want to see where the water went.
5. Stop using other fixtures if sewage is backing up. More water upstairs only sends more sewage onto the floor.

Frozen lines that let go are covered step by step on thefrozen and burst pipes page. A tank that is dumping water is on the hot water tank page.

What to say when you call

Give the town, the street address, and whether anyone is home. Say what is leaking, whether the main valve is already off, and if the power or gas to the tank is off. Mention a well or a septic system if you have one. Gate codes and dogs in the yard save a wasted trip. If the house is a seasonal cabin around Shuswap Lake, say whether the water was left on for winter.

A plumber takes that and sets the price. After-hours rates are higher than a daytime visit, and the ranges we publish are typical estimates, not a quote. See thetypical plumber costs before you assume a number.

If nobody is free tonight

Keep the water off. If sewage is involved, keep people and pets out of the wet area. Do not run a space heater where the floor is soaked. If a pipe is still frozen but has not split, leave it closed and read the thawing notes before you apply heat. Calling again in the morning is fine. The form works overnight, and a daytime plumber can pick it up when they start.

Common questions