Rapid after-hours dispatch when plumbing fails hard — flooding, overflows, or a home with no water. Average 78 minutes from call to on-site nationwide, with the water shut off fast.
Emergency Plumbing is one part of our plumbing repair coverage in Iowa. For the full picture — symptoms, costs, and when to repair vs. replace — start with the complete Plumbing Repair guide, or browse every plumbing repair service we offer.
An emergency plumbing call usually starts the same way: a pipe bursts and floods a wall at 6 a.m., a sewer line backs up into the shower before the morning routine, or the water heater fails and water is spreading across the floor. We run a true daily dispatch — not a voicemail that gets picked up Monday morning — and our average response time in cities where we keep a local crew is 78 minutes from your call to a plumber on your doorstep, with the first move always being to stop the water.
Emergency calls are flat-rate, not hourly. You'll have a quoted price before the truck rolls, and we charge no after-hours surcharge for the most common emergencies — burst supply lines, sewer backups, and failed shut-off valves. Our trucks are stocked for the failures that cause emergencies: pipe and fittings in common sizes, push-to-connect couplings for a fast stop, wax rings and supply lines, main-line augers and a jetter, and replacement shut-off and gate valves — so the typical emergency call ends in a same-visit fix.
We also handle commercial emergencies. If you run a restaurant, storefront, or multi-unit building where a backed-up main or a burst riser has to be handled before opening, we'll dispatch immediately and prioritize a safe, watertight temporary state — water isolated, the space no longer flooding — over a perfect permanent repair when a specialty part isn't on the truck.
Different job? Start on the right page:
Burst Pipe Repair — if specifically a burst line flooding right now.
A burst or split supply line floods a space fast. Shut off your main valve if you can reach it, then call — every minute of running water is more damage to floors, walls, and ceilings below.
Waste coming up through a tub, shower, or floor drain is a main-line blockage and a health hazard. Stop using every fixture in the house and call for emergency clearing.
No hot water with a leaking tank
A water heater that has quit and is leaking is both a comfort failure and a flooding risk. Shut off its water and gas or breaker, and call for immediate replacement or repair.
Gas smell near a plumbing appliance
A rotten-egg odor near the water heater or a gas line is a leak. Leave the area, don't switch anything electrical on or off, and call the gas utility and us from outside.
Overflowing toilet that won't stop
A toilet rising toward the rim signals a clog in the toilet or the line beyond it. Shut the supply valve behind the toilet to stop the overflow, then call for clearing.
Common causes & what we fix
Burst or frozen pipe
By far the most common winter emergency — water freezes, expands, and splits the pipe or blows a joint, then floods when it thaws. The failure is sudden even when the cold snap was expected.
Main-line sewer blockage
Roots, grease, or a collapsed section choke the main line until waste has nowhere to go but back up into the lowest fixtures. It usually hits without warning.
Water heater tank failure
A corroded tank rusts through at a seam and dumps 40–80 gallons, then keeps leaking as it refills. Older tanks fail this way on a predictable schedule.
Failed shut-off or supply line
The braided supply lines and angle stops under toilets, sinks, and to washing machines corrode and let go, spraying until the main is closed.
Pressure surge or failed PRV
A failed pressure-reducing valve lets municipal pressure spike into the house, stressing every fitting until the weakest one bursts. Whole-house over-pressure is a fast route to a flood.
What to expect, start to finish
1
Call or schedule online. Choose a 2-hour arrival window online or by phone for emergency plumbing in Iowa; confirmation lands in under five minutes with the tech's name and photo attached.
2
We diagnose on-site. On arrival we diagnose the emergency plumbing on-site — free for most repairs, $39 on minor service calls (waived if you proceed). You see the issue and the fix before we start.
3
The quote, in writing. The emergency plumbing quote is flat-rate, written, and good for 30 days — never an hourly meter, never after-the-fact add-ons.
4
Fixed in one visit. Because the trucks carry the common valves, fittings, cartridges, and fixtures, most emergency plumbing jobs wrap in that same visit — second trips are rare.
The real cost of emergency plumbing in Iowa
Emergency Plumbing in Iowa starts at Anytime, every emergency plumbing quote is flat-rate and presented in writing before work begins — no surprise add-ons, no hourly creep. Seniors (65+) and military save 10% on labor, and financing covers projects over $1,500 at 0% APR for 12 months, with no prepayment penalty.
Why trust us with emergency plumbing in Iowa
We've been a trusted choice since 1974 — over 50 years of family-owned plumbing service across Iowa. Our techs are CSLB-licensed (#1098234), background-checked, and complete an internal 12-week training program before rolling on calls alone.
Our emergency plumbing carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee — separate from any manufacturer warranty on the parts themselves. If the emergency plumbing we performed fails because of how we did it, we come back and fix it free for a full decade. Appliances and fixtures we install are backed by their full manufacturer warranty, and the parts and accessories we fit carry standard 1–5 year warranties by item.
We quote emergency plumbing on honest scope: no unnecessary up-sell, salaried (never commissioned) technicians, and a transparent diagnostic so you see exactly what we see — including the parts still in good shape. If a repair is the right call we say so; if replacement is the better long-term economics, we say that. The flat-rate emergency plumbing quote is written and good for 30 days.
Where to get emergency plumbing from us
We provide emergency plumbing throughout Iowa, with fast coverage in every major Iowa metro.
Reach times for emergency plumbing vary by traffic and time of day, so we quote an accurate ETA when you call — and the dispatch line routes straight to an on-call technician, no voicemail in between.
Your emergency plumbing questions, answered
Top questions homeowners searching for Emergency Plumbing near me ask us:
Can you fix it in one visit?
Roughly 96% of emergency calls are resolved on the first visit. Trucks carry the common parts. Specialty items — a specific tankless board, a commercial backflow assembly — may need a follow-up, but we always leave the property safe and watertight.
Do you charge extra for after-hours?
For the most common emergencies — burst pipes, sewer backups, failed shut-offs — there's no after-hours premium. Specialty work outside standard hours, like a full tankless conversion, carries a modest surcharge.
Do you handle commercial emergencies?
Yes — restaurants, retail, and multi-unit buildings. We prioritize commercial calls during business hours and offer service contracts with even faster guaranteed response for grease-line and backflow emergencies.
What should I do before you arrive?
Shut off the water — the main valve for a burst pipe, the fixture stop for an overflow, the tank's cold inlet for a water heater. Kill the breaker or gas to a leaking heater. For a gas smell, leave and call from outside. We'll coach you through it on the phone.
How quickly can you respond?
Our average is 78 minutes from call to on-site nationwide. Dense-coverage cities often see sub-60-minute response; outlying areas may take 90 minutes during peak hours. The dispatcher will also talk you through shutting off your water while we roll.