When you actually need an emergency plumber (and when you can wait until morning)
The honest guide to whether your plumbing problem is a 2 a.m. call or a Monday-morning call.
What counts as an emergency
Active water loss. Burst pipe, split hose bib, broken washer hose, water heater tank leaking. Every ten minutes of unmitigated water flow costs you in drywall and flooring.
Sewer backing into the living space. Toilets, showers, or floor drains spilling sewage. That's a biohazard, not a Monday problem.
No hot water in cold weather, with a houseful of people. Not damage, technically — but you're not waiting 14 hours.
What's not an emergency
Slow drips you caught early. Toilet that runs intermittently. Tub drain that's slow. Water heater making a popping sound but still heating. Book it for Monday morning at standard rate and save the after-hours fee.
What to do before the plumber arrives
Shut your main water valve. In most homes built after 1985 it's near where the line enters the building (garage, utility closet). Older homes: basement near the front-facing wall. Quarter-turn ball valves close fast.
If it's the water heater specifically, you can shut the heater alone (cold-water inlet ball valve) and keep cold water running to the rest of the house. Shut the gas, too, if it's a gas heater.
Take photos of the damage for your insurance claim before any cleanup.
Cost of waiting vs. cost of an emergency call
An after-hours dispatch fee runs $79–$149. A burst-pipe repair on a flooded drywall section runs $380–$950. A drywall and flooring restoration after 6 hours of unmitigated water can run $5,000–$25,000.
If water is moving, call now. The math is in favor of the dispatch fee.