Emergency plumbing in Laredo, TX

The first five minutes

Nearly every plumbing emergency gets smaller the moment the water stops. A half-inch supply line under city pressure can put out several gallons a minute, so a leak that runs for an hour while you search for the plumber’s number can soak flooring, drywall and cabinets across a whole room. Do these things in this order, and only the ones that are safe for you to do.

1. Stop the water. Close the valve for the fixture if the leak is at one sink, toilet or appliance. If the leak is in a wall, a ceiling or a line you cannot isolate, close the main house shutoff. See how to find your shutoff if you are not sure where it is.
2. Make it safe. If water is near outlets, cords or the electrical panel, stay out of it. Switch off power at the breaker only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 and your gas utility from outside.
3. Relieve the pressure. With the main closed, open a faucet at the lowest point of the house, such as a hose bib or a bathtub, to drain what is left in the lines. That slows a leak that keeps dripping after the valve is shut.
4. Protect what you can. Move rugs, electronics and boxes off the wet floor. Put a bucket under a ceiling drip and, if the ceiling is bulging, keep people out from under it.
5. Take photos. Photograph the source and the damage before you clean up. Insurance adjusters ask for them, and they help the plumber understand the problem before arriving.
6. Call. Then call and describe what is leaking, where, and whether you were able to stop it.

Is it really an emergency?

Not every problem needs a plumber at two in the morning, and after-hours visits often cost more at many companies. A simple test: if you can stop the water and the house is still usable, it can usually wait for regular hours. If you cannot stop the water, or the house cannot be used safely, call now.

Emergencies we hear about most in central Laredo

Burst or split supply lines

Hard freezes are rare in Laredo, which is exactly why they cause so much damage when they arrive. Pipes in exterior walls, attics and uninsulated garages were never built for cold, and many homes have hose bibs and exposed lines on the outside. During the February 2021 winter storm, Laredo went under a boil water notice on February 18 because of low distribution pressure from a line break, and the notice was not lifted until March 4. A pipe that froze often does not leak until it thaws, so check walls and ceilings the day temperatures come back up.

Sewer backups

Many lots near downtown were plumbed decades ago with clay or cast iron sewer laterals. Roots, grease and broken joints in those lines tend to fail suddenly, and the first sign is often water coming up in the lowest drain in the house. Stop using every fixture, including the washer and dishwasher, until the line is cleared. The sewer line page covers what usually causes it.

Water heater failures

A tank that leaks from its body, not from a fitting, cannot be repaired and will get worse. Close the cold water valve at the top of the tank and turn the gas control to Off or switch off the breaker. Our water heater page explains what to check before the plumber arrives.

Slab leaks that suddenly get worse

A hot water line leaking under the slab can show up as a warm floor, a spike in the bill or water seeping through grout. It is rarely a flood, but it is worth shutting off the water heater supply and calling soon. See leaks and slab leaks.

No water at all? Check the city first

If every faucet in the house is dry and there is no leak, the problem is often outside your property. Laredo has dealt with large main breaks before. On February 15, 2022, a 36-inch water main ruptured because of a corroded pipeline serving the southern part of the city; more than 125,000 people were affected and the boil water notice lasted 13 days. Before calling a plumber, ask a neighbor whether they have water and check the City of Laredo’s announcements.

If your neighbors have water and you do not, the cause is usually on your side of the meter: a closed or broken main valve, a break in the yard line, or a failed pressure reducing valve. Those are plumbing calls.

What to tell the plumber when you call

The more specific you are, the better the plumber can decide what to bring and how soon to come. Have these ready:

• What is leaking or backing up, and where in the house
• Whether the water is stopped, and which valve you closed
• For a water heater: gas or electric, tank or tankless, and roughly how old
• Whether the house is on a slab or a raised pier-and-beam floor
• Whether you own the home or rent, and if a landlord needs to approve the work
• Your street address in 78040 and anything about access, such as a locked gate or an alley entrance

Ask before the visit how the company charges for after-hours calls and diagnosis, and whether that fee is credited toward the repair. Those are fair questions on the phone, and the answers prevent surprises later.

After the water is off

A plumber fixes the pipe. Drying the house is a separate job. Wet drywall, carpet pad and cabinet bases can grow mold within a couple of days in South Texas heat, so open windows or run air conditioning and fans as soon as the water is stopped. If a large area is soaked, a water damage restoration company may be needed in addition to the plumber.

If you plan to file an insurance claim, call your agent early. Many homeowners policies cover sudden water damage but not the repair of a pipe that wore out over time, and most want to see photos of the damage before it is torn out. Keep any broken part the plumber removes.

Licensed work, even at midnight

In Texas, plumbing work for others must be done by plumbers licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, and plumbing companies operate under a Responsible Master Plumber. An emergency is not a reason to skip that. Ask for the license number when the plumber arrives; it takes a minute to check on the board’s website. Permanent repairs that require a City of Laredo permit, such as a water heater replacement or sewer line work, still need one even if the first visit was an emergency patch.

Sources

Official and primary sources used on this page. Rules change, so check the source before acting on a detail.

• TEEX: Public Works Response Team deployment to Laredo (February 2021)
• TEEX: Laredo 36-inch water main break and boil water notice (February 2022)
• Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners: license types
• City of Laredo Building Development Services: permit applications and requirements