--- title: "What to Do in a Plumbing Emergency | Reactive" description: "Burst pipe, leak or no water? A Gas Safe plumber's step-by-step on the first 15 minutes — what to shut off, what to leave alone and when to call." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Should I shut off the gas during a plumbing emergency?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Only if you can smell gas — in which case shut off at the meter, ventilate, leave the property and call Cadent on 0800 111 999. For a water leak alone, leaving the gas on is fine. The exception is if water is reaching the boiler's electrical components — then shut off the boiler at its isolator." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long can I leave the water off?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "As long as you need to. Long-term water shut-off has no consequences other than no water in the property. The exception is freezing weather — if the property will be unheated for more than a day, drain the system fully (open every tap and the boiler drain valve) to prevent pipes freezing and bursting on re-supply." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What's the average response time for an emergency plumber?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Varies by area. From our Corby base, typical emergency response is 45–60 minutes within Corby itself, 60–90 minutes across Kettering, Wellingborough, Desborough and Rothwell, and 90+ minutes for Oundle, Stamford and Oakham. Always answered 24/7 by an engineer." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will my home insurance cover the damage?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Most home insurance policies include 'escape of water' damage cover — the leak repair itself is usually excluded but the resulting damage (carpets, plaster, electrics, ceilings) is covered. Photograph everything, get a written report from the plumber, and contact your insurer within 48 hours." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I prevent burst pipes in winter?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Largely, yes. Lag all external pipework (outside taps, condensate pipes, garage pipes), keep the heating on at minimum 12°C overnight in cold snaps, drain outside taps fully via the isolator before winter, and know where your stop tap is so you can act fast if a burst does happen." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you charge a premium for out-of-hours emergency callouts?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not in our area. Our emergency callout rate is the same day or night, weekday or weekend. Some firms double their rate after 6pm — we don't, because we'd rather you call us early than try to live with a leak overnight." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/guides/what-to-do-in-a-plumbing-emergency#article", "headline": "What to Do in a Plumbing Emergency", "description": "Burst pipe, leak or no water? A Gas Safe plumber's step-by-step on the first 15 minutes — what to shut off, what to leave alone and when to call.", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/guides/what-to-do-in-a-plumbing-emergency" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl Eddershaw", "jobTitle": "Director & Lead Engineer", "worksFor": { "@id": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/#localbusiness" } }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/#organization" }, "datePublished": "2026-05-01", "dateModified": "2026-05-01", "image": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/favicon.png", "inLanguage": "en-GB" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Plumbing Services", "item": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/plumbing-services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emergency Plumbing", "item": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/emergency-plumbing" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What to Do in a Plumbing Emergency", "item": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/guides/what-to-do-in-a-plumbing-emergency" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl Eddershaw", "jobTitle": "Director & Lead Engineer", "image": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/favicon.png", "worksFor": { "@id": "https://reactiveplumbing.co.uk/#localbusiness" }, "knowsAbout": [ "Gas Safe boiler installation", "OFTEC oil heating", "LPG installations", "Plumbing & drainage" ] } ] --- Gas Safe Registered · OFTEC Registered · Checkatrade Verified 9 Rutherford Court, Corby NN17 4SJ [info@reactiveph.co.uk](mailto:info@reactiveph.co.uk) [![Reactive Gas Heating & Plumbing logo](/__l5e/assets-v1/51d713a4-18a4-4b5f-96fb-2fcce169e56c/reactive-logo.png)](/) ServicesAreasGuides[About](/about)[Our Work](/our-work)[Plans](/maintenance-plans)[Reviews](/reviews)[Contact](/contact) [24/7 Call 07915 906262 ](tel:+447915906262)[Fixed Boiler Quote](/boiler-quote) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Plumbing Services](/plumbing-services) 3. [Emergency Plumbing](/emergency-plumbing) 4. Guide Guide · Emergency Plumbing # What to Do in a Plumbing Emergency The first 15 minutes of a plumbing emergency decide how much damage you live with. Here's the order of actions — written by a Gas Safe plumber who attends these calls daily — to control the situation before help arrives. 7 min read By Carl Eddershaw, Director & Lead Engineer Last updated May 2026 Quick answer **In any plumbing emergency: (1) turn off the water at the internal stop tap immediately, (2) turn off the boiler and central heating, (3) open all cold taps to drain the system, (4) turn off electrics if water is near sockets, (5) call a 24/7 emergency plumber.** Don't try to repair anything yourself with the water still on — controlling the leak source is always the priority over fixing it. ## Step 1 — Stop the water at the source Your **internal stop tap** (also called the stopcock) is the master shut-off for mains cold water. It's usually under the kitchen sink, in a downstairs cupboard, or in the utility room. Turn it clockwise until it stops. If you don't know where yours is, find it now — see our guide on [how to turn off your water at the mains](/guides/how-to-turn-off-water-at-the-mains). If the internal stop tap is seized (common on older properties) or doesn't fully stop the flow, your **external stop tap** is in the pavement or front garden inside a small marked cover (often labelled "W"). You'll need a long key or a long-handled screwdriver to turn it. **Never force a seized stop tap.** Snapping it makes the situation dramatically worse — you'll lose pressure control entirely. If it won't budge with reasonable hand force, move to the external stop tap or call us and we'll bring the right tools. ## Step 2 — Turn off the boiler and heating Switch off the boiler at its electrical isolator (usually a switched fused spur next to the boiler) and turn off the central heating at the programmer. This stops the boiler trying to heat water that's no longer there — running a boiler dry damages the heat exchanger badly. On a system or regular boiler with a hot-water cylinder, also turn off the immersion heater if it's likely to be running on a leak that's draining the cylinder. ## Step 3 — Drain the system to relieve pressure With the mains off, open every cold tap in the house — kitchen, bathroom basins, bath, outside taps. This drains the pipework and stops residual pressure pushing water out of the leak. Do the lowest taps first (downstairs) and work up. Don't open hot taps unless the boiler is fully off — running a hot tap with the cold supply cut can pull air into the system and damage the boiler. ## Step 4 — Manage the immediate damage While waiting for the engineer: - If water is anywhere near electrical sockets, lights or your consumer unit, **turn off the electricity at the consumer unit** and don't touch any switches that have got wet - **Move valuables and electronics** away from the affected area - **Lift carpets and rugs** if water has reached the floor — drying them later is cheaper than replacing them - **Catch active drips** in buckets and clear standing water with towels - **Photograph the damage** — any insurance claim will need this - **Don't attempt DIY repairs** on the leaking pipe — push-fit fittings or repair clamps applied wrongly often make leaks worse ## Step 5 — Call a 24/7 emergency plumber When you call, have the following ready: your postcode, the type of emergency (burst pipe, major leak, no water, blocked drain causing back-up), whether you've successfully isolated the water, and whether anyone in the property is vulnerable. Reactive answers the phone 24/7 — directly, no answering service. Average response across our daily-run area is around 90 minutes for genuine emergencies. See our [24/7 emergency plumbing](/emergency-plumbing) service for what's included and our standard call-out approach. ## What counts as a real emergency vs what can wait **Genuine emergencies** — call now: burst mains pipe, water coming through a ceiling, complete loss of water (especially with vulnerable occupants), gas smell (call Cadent on 0800 111 999 first), no heating in winter with a vulnerable occupant, drain back-up causing sewage to enter the house, or any leak near electrics. **Urgent but not emergencies** — call within 24 hours: dripping tap that won't fully close, slow toilet refill, hot water failure (in summer), low water pressure on one outlet, slow drain. These can usually wait until normal hours and avoid out-of-hours rates. **Routine** — can wait for a planned visit: tap replacement, radiator cold spot, new outside tap, bathroom plumbing changes. Book these for weekday daytime — cheaper and more time on site. About the author ### Carl Eddershaw Director & Lead Engineer · Reactive Gas Heating & Plumbing Reactive runs from its workshop at Rutherford Court in Corby. Gas Safe registered, OFTEC registered for oil and certified for LPG, with daily on-the-tools experience installing, repairing and servicing boilers across Northamptonshire, Rutland and Leicestershire. Every guide on this site is written from real call-out notes — not generic copy. ## Frequently asked questions ### Should I shut off the gas during a plumbing emergency? ### How long can I leave the water off? ### What's the average response time for an emergency plumber? ### Will my home insurance cover the damage? ### Can I prevent burst pipes in winter? ### Do you charge a premium for out-of-hours emergency callouts? Need a hand? ## Need an emergency plumber right now? Phone answered 24/7 by an actual engineer, fixed-price quote before any work starts, and no out-of-hours premium. Most local emergencies seen within 90 minutes. See the full emergency plumbing service: [24/7 emergency plumbing](/emergency-plumbing) · [see our emergency plumber service](/emergency-plumbing) · [emergency call-out across Corby & Northants](/emergency-plumbing) [See Emergency Plumbing](/emergency-plumbing) [Call 07915 906262](tel:+447915906262) Last updated May 2026 ## Keep reading [Back to Plumbing Services overview](/plumbing-services) [ Guide ### How to turn off your water at the mains Find your stop tap, test it works, and know how to use it before you actually need to. Read more ](/guides/how-to-turn-off-water-at-the-mains)[ Service ### Hidden leak detection & repair Acoustic and thermal leak tracing for the leaks you can't see — under floors, in walls, in heating systems. Read more ](/leak-detection-repair)[ Local ### Emergency plumber in Corby 45-minute average response across NN17 and NN18 — answered 24/7, no premium-rate number. 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