24/7 emergency plumbing in St. Paul, MN

If you smell gas, leave first

Gas smell? Get everyone out of the house now. Do not flip switches, use a phone, start a car or try to shut off the meter inside. Once you are a safe distance away, call 911 and Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-2999. If another company supplies your gas, call the number on your gas bill. After the utility makes the house safe, we can repair gas lines and appliances.

Know where your main water shutoff is

The fastest way to limit water damage is to shut off the main valve. In most homes with a basement, it is where the water line comes through the floor or wall, near the water meter. Find it now, make sure it turns, and show everyone in the house.

If water is near outlets, the electrical panel or appliances, do not wade in. Shut off power only if you can reach the panel safely without standing in water.

Emergencies we handle

Burst or frozen pipes. Shut off the main valve and call us. See leak detection and pipe repair.
Leaking water heater. Turn off the cold water valve above the tank, and turn the gas control to off or switch off the breaker. See water heaters.
Flooding basement. A failed or overwhelmed sump pump needs fast attention.
No water. Check whether neighbors have water. If they do, the problem may be a frozen or broken pipe in your home.

In St. Paul, if the whole street is out of water or a main has broken, call Saint Paul Regional Water Services. Other cities have their own water utility. For all plumbing emergencies inside your home, call us. See our emergency service page for heating and electrical emergencies too.

Preventing frozen pipes in a Minnesota winter

Pipes on outside walls, in crawl spaces and near where the water line enters the foundation are most at risk. The American Red Cross offers these tips to prevent frozen pipes:

Disconnect garden hoses in fall, close the indoor valve to each outdoor spigot, and leave the spigot open to drain.
Insulate pipes in unheated spaces such as garages, crawl spaces and under sinks.
On very cold nights, open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls and let a faucet trickle.
Keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night.
If you travel, keep the heat no lower than 55°F.

If a faucet only trickles in very cold weather, a pipe may be frozen. Leave the faucet open and warm the pipe with a hair dryer or heating pad. Never use an open flame. If you cannot find or thaw the frozen spot, call us. A furnace that quits in January can freeze pipes quickly, so call for heating help right away too.

Call for emergency plumbing if you have

A burst pipe or water spraying from a line
No water, or only a trickle, during a cold snap
A water heater leaking from the tank
Water rising in the basement or a sump pump that has stopped
A leak you cannot stop with a fixture shutoff valve

Common questions

What should I do first if a pipe bursts?

Shut off the main water valve, usually in the basement near the water meter. Keep away from water near electrical outlets or the panel, then call a plumber.

What should I do if I smell gas?

Leave the house right away without using switches or phones. From a safe distance, call 911 and Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-2999. If another company supplies your gas, call the number on your gas bill.

How do I thaw a frozen pipe?

Open the faucet and warm the pipe with a hair dryer, heating pad or warm towels. Never use a torch or open flame. Call a plumber if you cannot find or reach the frozen section.

My water heater is leaking. What do I do?

Close the cold water valve on the pipe above the tank, and turn the gas control to off or switch off the breaker for an electric heater. Then call a plumber.