A burst or leaking pipe
Shut off the main water valve to the house, then open a faucet at the lowest point to let the pressure out. Move anything valuable away from the water and take photos for your insurance company before you clean up. We find the break, repair the pipe or the section that failed, and tell you if the rest of the line is likely to give you trouble again. If the leak is under the slab, we don’t do slab leak repair, and we’ll tell you that when you call.
No water at all
Check whether the neighbors have water. If the whole street is dry, it’s the City or your water utility. If only your house is dry, check that the main valve is fully open. A closed valve, a failed pressure regulator or a broken line on your side of the meter are the usual causes, and we can sort out which.
Sewage backing up
If several drains are slow at once, or the tub fills when you flush, the main line is blocked. Stop using water. Don’t pop the cleanout cap while sewage is backing up inside; it can spray under pressure. We clear the line and show you what caused it. For how a clog differs from a broken pipe, see drain cleaning and sewer line repair.
A leaking or burst water heater
Turn off the cold-water supply valve at the top of the tank. For a gas heater, turn the gas control to OFF; for an electric one, switch off its breaker. Then call. We repair or replace the heater and tell you which one makes sense. See water heater repair and replacement.
A toilet that won’t stop overflowing
Lift the tank lid and push the flapper down, or shut the valve on the wall behind the toilet. If the water keeps coming up and the other drains are slow too, it’s the main line.
The smell of gas
Leave the house and call 911 and CenterPoint Energy from outside. Don’t use a light switch, a phone inside or anything that could spark. Once CenterPoint Energy or the fire department has cleared the house, we can check for gas leaks.
When it isn’t an emergency
A dripping faucet, a slow drain or a running toilet usually can wait a day or two, and a regular visit is easier to schedule than a rush. If you’re not sure, call and we’ll tell you.
Frozen and burst pipes in a Houston freeze
Hard freezes are rare here, which is exactly why pipes are caught off guard. The National Weather Service puts Houston’s average first freeze on December 9, and during Winter Storm Uri, Bush Intercontinental dropped to 13°F on February 16, 2021. Our job records show 34 frozen or burst pipe jobs in 2025 and 2026, and 146 since 2018.
Before a hard freeze: find your main water valve, open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls, let faucets on outside walls drip, and disconnect and cover outdoor hose bibs. If a pipe has frozen but not burst, leave the faucet open and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer. Never use an open flame. If a pipe bursts when it thaws, shut off the main valve and call. Expect a full schedule the morning after a hard freeze: call as soon as the office opens, or book online the night before.
Sources: CenterPoint Energy, natural gas safety · National Weather Service Houston/Galveston, heat and cold stats · NOAA/NWS daily records, Houston Intercontinental (IAH). Checked November 2026.
