Emergency plumber, any hour of the day or night

Emergencies we attend

• Burst and split pipes, including pipes that split during a thaw after a frost.
• Leaks through ceilings and walls, from showers, baths, radiators, tanks or hidden pipework. We trace the source before opening anything up.
• Overflowing cisterns and tanks, where a float valve has stuck and water is running from an overflow pipe.
• No water at the taps, after you have checked with neighbours and Scottish Water that there is no supply problem in the street.
• Leaking hot water cylinders and unvented cylinders discharging water.
• Blocked toilets where it is the only toilet in the home, and blocked drains backing up into the property.
• Heating failures where there is no other way of keeping the home warm, especially for elderly people, babies or anyone unwell. See boiler repairs.

What happens when you phone

We ask what is happening, where in the property it is and whether the water is off. We tell you what the call-out involves and how charges work before anyone is sent, so there are no surprises. When the engineer arrives, the first job is to make the situation safe and stop further damage. Once it is safe, they explain what has failed and what a permanent repair involves, and agree that with you before going ahead.

Sometimes the right first step is a temporary repair, for example capping a pipe so you have water back in the rest of the home, with the permanent repair booked once parts are available. We will always tell you which it is.

Insurance claims

If you plan to claim on home insurance for escape-of-water damage, take photographs before and after the water is stopped and keep any failed parts we remove. We can provide a written description of the cause and the work carried out for your insurer.

Preventing the next one

Most emergencies we see could have been made smaller by knowing where the stopcock is and being able to turn it. If yours is stiff or hidden, we can fit a new quarter-turn valve somewhere easy to reach. Insulating pipes in lofts, under floors and outside walls, and keeping the heating on low during cold spells, prevents most frozen and burst pipes. Our plumbing team can check vulnerable pipework for you.