Plumbing help in South Florida
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This hub covers the emergencies we route most often, what you can safely do before help arrives, and how local conditions in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade affect the repair. If something is failing right now, start with our emergency plumber page, which explains what counts as an emergency and what to do before help arrives.
Water moving right now?
The emergency plumbing action guide walks through shutting off the main water supply and the first safe steps for burst pipes, sewer backups, overflowing toilets, leaking water heaters and ceiling leaks.
Services
Emergency Plumber
An emergency plumber handles plumbing failures that cannot safely wait — burst pipes, sewage backups, uncontrolled leaks, and no-water situations. If water is actively escaping, shut off the water supply first, then request help.
Burst Pipe Repair
If a pipe has burst, close the main water shutoff immediately, then cut power to any wet area. Burst pipe repair involves locating the failure, removing the damaged section, and replacing it — plus checking why it failed.
Slab Leak Detection
Slab leak detection is the specific process of locating a water line break running under a home's concrete foundation, without breaking up the floor to search for it. It applies only to under-slab supply or drain lines — not leaks in walls, ceilings, irrigation, or above-ground plumbing.
Sewer Backup
A home sewer backup means wastewater cannot leave the property. Stop using all water immediately, keep people and pets away from the contaminated area, and request professional help — this is a biohazard, not a plunger job.
Drain Cleaning
Professional drain cleaning clears blockages with a cable machine or hydro jetting rather than chemicals. Repeated clogs in the same drain usually mean buildup or a defect further down the line, not at the fixture.
Hydro Jetting
Hydro jetting uses high-pressure water through a specialized nozzle to scour the full inside diameter of a drain or sewer line. It is the usual choice for grease, scale, and root buildup that cabling only punches through.
Water Heater Repair
Many water heater faults are repairable — thermostats, heating elements, thermocouples, gas valves, TPR valves, and igniters. A tank leaking from the body itself is not repairable and needs replacement, not repair.
Water Heater Replacement
Water heater replacement is warranted when the tank itself leaks, the unit is near end of life, or repeated repairs no longer make sense. Replacement includes sizing, tank-versus-tankless and fuel decisions, permits, and safe removal of the old unit.
Leak Detection
Leak detection finds water escaping somewhere other than under the concrete slab — inside wall cavities, irrigation and sprinkler lines, pool plumbing, and roof-adjacent or ceiling leaks — without tearing the property apart to search for it. If the meter test points to water loss and every above-ground source has been ruled out, the leak is likely under the slab; see slab leak detection for that specific, more invasive diagnostic process.
Main Water Line Repair
The main water line carries water from the meter to the property. A break shows up as soggy ground, a running meter, dropping pressure, or a total loss of water — and it usually needs prompt repair or replacement of the buried service line.
Toilet Repair
Most toilet problems fall into three groups: it won't flush or drain, it won't stop running, or it leaks. Stop an overflow by closing the supply valve behind the toilet or lifting the flapper closed inside the tank.
Problems, described the way you'd say them
Water coming through the ceiling
Active water dripping or streaming through a ceiling means a pipe, fixture, or drain above is failing right now. Shut off the main water supply and cut power to the room immediately. A bulging patch is holding gallons of water and can collapse — relieve it into a bucket from the side, never stand underneath it, then request an emergency plumbing professional.
A pipe burst
Close the main water shutoff first — it is usually near the meter, an exterior wall, or in a utility area. Then cut power to wet rooms, open a low faucet to drain the lines, and request emergency plumbing help before starting any cleanup.
Toilet overflowing
Turn the supply valve behind the toilet clockwise to stop the water, or lift the tank lid and push the flapper closed. Once it stops, the important question is whether only this fixture is affected or the whole drain system is backing up — those two situations need very different next steps.
Water heater leaking
Shut off the cold water supply valve at the top of the heater and cut its power or gas before doing anything else. Where the water is coming from tells you a lot: a leak from a fitting or valve is often repairable, while water coming from the tank body itself means the unit needs replacement, not repair.
Sewage backing up
Stop using every water fixture in the building immediately — each flush or drain cycle adds to a backup that is affecting the whole drain system, not just one fixture. Sewage indoors is a biohazard; keep people and pets away and get professional help with camera and jetting equipment rather than attempting chemical fixes.
No hot water
Start with power or fuel: check the breaker for an electric heater, or the pilot and gas supply for a gas unit. If those are fine, the likely causes are a failed thermostat, heating element, thermocouple, or igniter. Confirm first whether every fixture is affected or just one, since that changes where the problem lives.
No water at all
Check whether neighbors have water. If they do, the problem is on your property: a closed main valve, a service line break, a failed pressure regulator, or a pump issue on a well. If nobody has water, contact the utility first before assuming it's a plumbing failure inside your home.
Low water pressure
If only one fixture is weak, start with the aerator or the fixture cartridge — that's a quick fix. If the whole property lost pressure, suspect a partially closed valve, a failing pressure regulator, corroded galvanized piping, or a leak in the service line, which needs a professional diagnosis rather than a DIY swap.
Water under the floor
Water appearing under flooring with no visible source usually means a leak below or within the floor structure — commonly a slab leak, a failed drain line, or outside water intrusion. Confirm which one it is with a meter test before opening any flooring, since the wrong assumption leads to unnecessary demolition.
Wet spot on the ceiling
A wet or stained ceiling patch that isn't actively dripping means water is entering the cavity above from a plumbing line, an AC condensate drain, or the roof, and has been doing so for a while. Note when the spot grows: during rain, when the AC runs, or when a fixture upstairs is used — that pattern points to the source before anyone opens the ceiling.
Cost guides
- Emergency Plumber Cost
- Burst Pipe Repair Cost
- Slab Leak Detection Cost
- Slab Leak Repair Cost
- Sewer Line Repair Cost
- Drain Cleaning Cost
- Hydro Jetting Cost
- Water Heater Repair Cost
- Water Heater Replacement Cost
- Leak Detection Cost
- AC Repair Cost
- Emergency Electrician Cost
- Water Damage Restoration Cost
- Roof Leak Repair Cost
- Garage Door Spring Replacement Cost
- Emergency Locksmith Cost
- Termite Treatment Cost
- AC Replacement Cost
- Sewage Cleanup Cost
- Electrical Panel Replacement Cost
- Roof Replacement Cost
- Garage Door Opener Repair Cost
- Garage Door Repair Cost
- Rekey Locks Cost
- Pest Control Cost
- Mold Remediation Cost
- Bed Bug Treatment Cost
- AC Compressor Replacement Cost
- Emergency Roof Tarping Cost
- House Rewiring Cost
- Lock Replacement Cost
Questions
- What should I do if a pipe bursts?
- Who should I call for a burst pipe?
- Is a slab leak an emergency?
- What are the signs of a slab leak?
- Why is water coming through my ceiling?
- What should I do if my sewer backs up?
- Why is sewage coming up through my shower?
- Should I shut off my water during a plumbing emergency?
- How do I find an emergency plumber?
- What qualifies as a plumbing emergency?