Emergency Plumber — 24/7

When You Need a Plumber Right Now

Plumbing emergencies do not keep business hours. A pipe can burst at 11pm on a Sunday. A boiler can fail on a cold Friday night. A gas smell can wake you at 3am. In these situations, you need to reach a real person quickly — not an automated system that books you in for next week.

EMCO Plumbing operates a genuine 24/7 emergency line. When you call 0330 124 5871, a person answers — not a voicemail, not a callback form, not an automated triage system. We assess your situation, dispatch the nearest available engineer, and keep you informed of the arrival time.

Emergencies We Respond To

Burst Pipes

A burst pipe is one of the most damaging plumbing failures a property can experience. Water escaping under mains pressure can cause thousands of pounds of structural and contents damage in a matter of hours. If you have a burst pipe:

• Turn off the water supply at the stop tap immediately (usually under the kitchen sink or where the main enters the property)
• Turn on cold water taps to drain the system and reduce pressure
• Switch off the electricity at the consumer unit if water is near electrics
• Call EMCO Plumbing on 0330 124 5871

Our engineers carry pipe repair materials on every van and can make most burst pipe repairs in a single visit.

Flooding and Major Leaks

A water leak through a ceiling, a flooding bathroom caused by a failed bath seal or waste pipe, or a leaking washing machine connection that has gone unnoticed — all require urgent attention to prevent water reaching structural elements and causing lasting damage.

Loss of Heating in Cold Weather

A boiler breakdown in January is more than an inconvenience — for vulnerable residents, elderly occupants, or households with young children, loss of heating is a genuine welfare concern. We prioritise heating breakdowns in cold weather and maintain emergency stock of common boiler parts to maximise the chance of a same-visit repair.

No Hot Water

While not life-threatening, loss of hot water is a significant disruption — particularly for households with young children or vulnerable occupants. We respond to hot water emergencies as quickly as availability allows.

Gas Smells and Concerns

If you can smell gas in your property, do not use any switches or electrical items. Do not smoke. Open windows and doors, leave the property, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 immediately.

Once the gas supply has been made safe by the emergency service, EMCO Plumbing can investigate and repair the source of the leak as a Gas Safe registered contractor.

No Water Supply

Loss of water supply to the property — other than a general supply interruption from the water company — usually indicates a fault with the stop cock, a burst pipe, or a failed pump (for properties with a private water supply). We investigate and restore supply as quickly as possible.

Our Response Time

Response times vary depending on engineer availability and location. For genuine emergencies, we aim to have an engineer on site within 2–4 hours across our service areas. We will give you an honest estimated arrival time when you call — we will not tell you "someone will call you back" and leave you waiting.

Our 24/7 emergency cover applies across all seven of our UK regions. For properties in areas outside our core regions, we will advise honestly on availability and suggest alternatives if we cannot help.

What to Do While You Wait

If you have a water emergency:

• Turn off the water supply at the stop tap to prevent further flooding
• If water is near electrics, turn off the electricity at the consumer unit — call a qualified electrician if you are unsure
• Move valuables and furniture away from the affected area
• Photograph the damage for insurance purposes
• Place towels or buckets to limit spread while waiting for the engineer

Emergency Pricing

We are transparent about our emergency call-out rates. Out-of-hours emergency callouts (evenings, weekends, bank holidays) are charged at a higher rate than standard working hours to reflect the cost of maintaining 24/7 engineer availability.

• Standard hours (Mon–Fri, 7:30am–6:30pm): from £75 call-out + parts and labour
• Evening (6:30pm–11pm) and Saturday: from £110 call-out + parts and labour
• Night (11pm–7:30am), Sunday, bank holidays: from £145 call-out + parts and labour

We confirm the call-out rate when you phone, before the engineer is dispatched. No surprises on the invoice.