Water spreads faster than a phone call connects. The order that matters is simple: make it safe, stop the flow, document it, then call. Gas is the one exception. If you smell gas, leave first and skip everything else on this page.
Emergency Plumber in Brandon FL: The First Five Minutes
- Check for gas, a sparking outlet or water near a panel. If any apply, step out and call 911.
- Shut off the water at the main, or at the fixture stop if the problem is one toilet or sink.
- Open a faucet at the lowest point to drain the line.
- Photograph the damage before you mop.
- Call 813-733-7188. We dispatch 24/7.
Where the Main Shutoff and Heater Valve Usually Are
Florida code requires an accessible main shutoff near where the water service enters the house, so look on the wall nearest the street or the meter, or in the garage. Fixture shutoffs are required at every sink and toilet, though not at tubs and showers. A tank heater has its own cold-water valve on the pipe above the unit. Find all three before you need them, and label them. The valve inside the county meter box can be the utility’s, so ask before turning it. Our shut-off valve guide for trips and storms goes through each one.
Burst Pipe or Active Leak
Close the main and keep clear of outlets and the panel if water is near them. Do not wait to see if it slows; a failed line only gets worse. Emergency repairs mostly run $250-$900. Read our emergency plumbing repairs page for how the visit works.
No Water at Any Faucet
Ask a neighbor. A street-wide outage or low pressure goes to the county through its online form, with “Other” chosen. Water Resources’ main-break line is (813) 307-1000. If a boil-water notice is out, county alerts come through HCFL Alert, and tap water should not be drunk until it lifts. If only your house is dry, confirm the main is fully open and call us.
Water Heater Leaking
Close the cold-water valve on top of the heater. For an electric unit, switch off its breaker. On a gas unit, leave the gas control alone. A pan is required under heaters where a leak would cause damage, so a wet pan means the tank or a fitting is leaking; water dripping from the relief valve pipe is a separate symptom, so mention it to dispatch. Do not cap the relief valve line. Whether it is repair or replacement depends on where the water is coming from, which we cover in repair or replace plumbing in Brandon. For the service itself, see water heater repair and replacement.
Sewage Backup and Overflowing Toilet
For an overflowing toilet, lift the tank lid, hold the flapper closed and close the stop valve behind the bowl. Do not flush again. For a backup in several fixtures, stop using water everywhere, since every gallon you add has to come up somewhere. Keep people and pets out. Backups run $250-$700 here, and our drain cleaning crew works with a camera when the cause is not obvious. If the backup follows a storm or an outage in the neighborhood, the county takes sewer backups from a damaged pipe at (813) 307-1000.
Gas Smell: Leave First, Then Call the Utility or 911
We do not do gas work. Walk out, leave doors as they are, and call from the street. Skip light switches, garage door openers and anything that could spark. Call us only after the utility has cleared the house.
What to Photograph and What to Tell Dispatch
- Photos: the source of the water, the shutoff you closed, the wet area, any stained ceiling or baseboard, and the heater’s label with its model and age.
- Tell us: the street and cross street, which fixture or room, whether the water is still running, what you shut off, and whether you rent.
- Insurance: keep damaged items and photos. Drying and mold work goes to a restoration contractor, not a plumber.
Standing in water right now?
Same-day and 24/7 emergency service across Brandon. Florida licensed and insured, with the price in writing before work starts.
CALL 813-733-7188Brandon Plumbing Emergency FAQs
Hillsborough County Water Resources takes main breaks at (813) 307-1000, and the county says not to use its online form for them. A leak after your meter is yours, so call a plumber. If you cannot tell which side the leak is on, call the county first.
Check whether neighbors are dry too. A wider outage or low pressure goes to the county through its online form. If only your house is out, check that the main shutoff is fully open, then call us. Full flow missing with the valve open points to a line problem inside the house.
No. Stop flushing and running water, because anything you send down can surface in the lowest drain. Keep children and pets out of the wet area, avoid touching the water with bare hands, and call for dispatch. We clear backups, typically $250-$700.
Leave the house, call 911 or your gas utility from outside, and do not flip switches or use a lighter. We do not do gas work, so a gas smell is not a plumber call. Once the utility clears it, we can handle the water side of the heater.
After-hours, weekend and holiday dispatch typically runs $150-$250. Emergency repairs mostly land between $250 and $900. You get the written price before work begins, and and our 100% satisfaction guarantee stands behind the work. Call first and we will quote the range for your situation.
Shut the water off if you can, then report the leak to the landlord or association in writing with photos and the time you noticed it. About 32% of Brandon housing units sit in buildings with five or more units, and a supply leak can reach a neighbor through shared walls.