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Emergency: what to do first.

Danger comes before plumbing. Read the red box first. This is general information, not a diagnosis.

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Immediate danger (gas, electrical, someone hurt): leave and call 911.

Stay clear of hazards. For immediate danger, leave and call 911 from safety.

  • Gas: a rotten-egg smell or hissing. Leave immediately. Do not use switches, flames, lighters or phones inside. Call 911 from outside, away from the building.
  • Electrical danger: water near outlets, panels, appliances or wiring, sparks, or a burning smell. Stay out of standing water and away from equipment. Do not touch wet electrical items.
  • Sewage: sewage backing up or on the floor. Avoid contact, keep children and pets away, and stop using drains. For a backup without immediate danger, contact a licensed plumber; call 911 only if someone is in immediate danger.

Do not try to fix any of these yourself. No gas, electrical, chemical or boiling-water DIY.

If there is no danger, and water is flowing

Only when there is no gas, electrical or sewage risk, and you can reach the shutoff safely.

  1. Check that the floor around the shutoff is dry and nothing electrical is nearby.
  2. Use a shutoff you already know and can reach: a fixture valve under the sink or toilet, or the main valve if you know where it is.
  3. Turn it gently. If it will not turn easily, stop. Do not force valves, use tools on them, or pry them.
  4. If water keeps coming, or you are unsure, leave the area and call the office or a licensed plumber.
  5. Take photos of visible damage only from a safe spot.

Do not

  • Force a stuck valve.
  • Use chemical drain cleaners or pour boiling water into drains.
  • Reset breakers, relight pilots, or touch gas valves or water-heater parts.
  • Wade through water that may touch wiring.
Before you call

Pick your problem.

Safe, brief checks and clear stop signs for common problems. General guidance only.

Running toilet

Stop and call

  • Water on the floor near wiring or outlets: avoid standing water and electrical equipment, and call a professional.
  • Sewage in the bowl or on the floor: avoid contact, stop using the fixture, and call a professional.

Safe observations

  • Lift the tank lid only if safe and optional. Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank, wait 10 minutes without flushing, then check whether color reaches the bowl. Flush afterward to avoid staining.
  • Note whether the sound is constant or occasional.
  • The EPA WaterSense guide lists this dye check for toilet leaks.

What this may mean

  • Several causes are possible; only a plumber can say which.
Leak or drip

Stop and call

  • Water near wiring, outlets or appliances: stay out of standing water and away from electrical equipment.
  • Active flooding: call a professional.

Safe observations

  • Look for visible wet spots without touching wet equipment.
  • Note whether one fixture or the whole home is affected.
  • Check the water meter only if it is safely accessible and no hazards are present.

What this may mean

  • A visible drip does not tell us the cause.
Slow drain, clog or overflow

Stop and call

  • Several drains clogged: stop using water and call a professional.
  • Sewage: avoid contact and call a professional.
  • Do not use chemical drain cleaners or boiling water, and do not take pipes apart.

Safe observations

  • Note whether one drain or many are slow.
  • If a toilet is overflowing, stop flushing. Close the fixture shutoff only if it is known, safely accessible, not forced, and not near hazards.

What this may mean

  • Causes vary; one slow drain differs from several.
Low water pressure

Stop and call

  • Water or wet wiring around the meter or equipment: avoid it and call a professional.

Safe observations

  • Check whether one fixture or the whole home is affected.
  • Check the meter only when safely accessible with no hazards.

What this may mean

  • One fixture versus the whole home narrows things only roughly.
No hot water

Stop and call

  • Do not reset breakers, touch electrical elements, light pilots, touch gas valves, flush the heater or work on the T&P valve.
  • Gas odor or hissing: leave immediately and call 911 from safety. Do not use switches, flames or electronics in the area.

Safe observations

  • Check whether hot water is missing at one fixture or all fixtures.
  • Look for visible water around the heater without touching it.

What this may mean

  • Many possible causes; this guide cannot diagnose.

Calling the office

Office phone: (239) 643-2431. The website’s forms are not an emergency channel, so for anything urgent, call. Immediate danger: call 911.

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Sources (checked 2026-10-02)

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