It’s 2am. The kitchen sink is full of water, or the toilet won’t flush, or there’s something coming up through the shower that shouldn’t be. Do you call a plumber now and pay the after-hours rate, or wait until morning?
We take a lot of these calls, and our dispatchers’ honest answer is often “it can wait”. Sometimes it can’t. Here’s how to tell the difference.
The short answer
A clogged drain is an emergency when wastewater is entering the property, every drain has stopped at once, or water is near electricity. A single slow or blocked fixture, with everything else working, is not. It’s an inconvenience, and it can wait for a daytime visit.
It IS an emergency if…
Sewage is coming up into the house
Water rising through a floor drain, a ground-floor shower or tub, or a toilet when you haven’t flushed it is the clearest case. It means the main sewer line is blocked and wastewater from the whole house, or sometimes from the city main, has nowhere to go but up. Every minute it continues, it damages floors, walls and belongings, and creates a health hazard.
Every drain in the house has stopped
If no sink, shower or toilet in the property will drain, the main line is fully blocked. You can’t use the property’s plumbing at all until it’s cleared, and any water use risks a backup.
Water is near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel
Backed-up water near electrical equipment is a safety issue before it’s a plumbing one. Turn off power to the area at the breaker panel, not at the outlet, then call.
It’s a business that can’t operate
For a restaurant mid-service, or a building where many tenants are affected, a blocked main line is an emergency even if no water is entering yet.
A vulnerable person is in the house
If someone elderly, very young or unwell can’t use a toilet or wash, it’s reasonable to treat a full blockage as urgent.
It is NOT an emergency if…
One drain is slow or blocked, and everything else works
A blocked bathroom sink, a slow shower or a kitchen sink that won’t drain while the rest of the house is fine is a single-fixture clog. It’s annoying, but it isn’t causing damage. Stop using that fixture, use another one, and book a clogged drain repair for the morning. You’ll avoid the after-hours rate.
A toilet is blocked, but there’s another one
Close the water supply valve behind the blocked toilet (turn it clockwise) so it can’t overflow, and use the other one.
It’s been slow for weeks
A drain that’s been getting slower for weeks is a warning sign, and it’s worth booking soon. But tonight isn’t different from last night. Book a daytime visit.
What to do right now, while you wait
If it is an emergency:
- Stop using water. No flushing, no sinks, no showers, no dishwasher or washing machine. Tell everyone in the house. This is the single most effective thing you can do.
- Keep people and pets away from backed-up water. Treat it as contaminated.
- Turn off power at the breaker to any area where water is near outlets or appliances.
- Find the exterior cleanout if you can do so safely. It’s a capped pipe near the foundation, usually on the side of the house closest to the street. If it’s safe to open, slowly unscrewing the cap can let the backup drain outside instead of into the house. Stand clear, because it may be under pressure. In coastal areas like Bird Rock and Windansea, cleanout caps are often corroded solid. Don’t force it, as you can crack an old cast-iron fitting.
- Move valuables off the floor near affected drains.
- Take photos for your insurance company.
- Call.
What not to do
- Don’t use chemical drain cleaner on a backup. It won’t clear a main-line blockage, and it turns sewage into a chemical hazard.
- Don’t plunge a drain that’s backing up from the main line. You’ll push sewage around the house.
- Don’t wait to see if it clears on its own if wastewater is entering the house.
Not a drain problem
Some 2am emergencies need a different first call.
- A burst supply pipe or leaking water heater. That’s clean water under pressure, not a drain problem. Shut off your main water valve first, then call.
- A gas smell. Leave the building and call SDG&E or 911 from outside.
- Neighbours are backing up too. The blockage may be in the city sewer. Report it to the City of San Diego. We can confirm whether your own lateral is involved.
What happens when you call us at 2am
- A dispatcher answers. Not a voicemail or an answering service that takes a message.
- They ask a few questions: is water entering the property, are all drains affected, is water near electricity?
- They tell you honestly whether it’s an emergency. If it isn’t, they’ll book you a daytime visit at the standard rate.
- If it is, they tell you the after-hours rate before the truck leaves. Nights, weekends and holidays add $95 to $150 to our standard prices.
- A technician arrives. Our average arrival in 92037 is 45 minutes from your call.
- We stop the water first, usually by relieving the line at the cleanout, then clear the blockage.
- Diagnosis comes afterwards. Once nothing is flooding, we can work out why it happened, and whether a camera inspection is worth booking.
See our emergency drain cleaning page for after-hours prices.
What it costs
- After-hours single-fixture clog: $275 to $425.
- After-hours main-line backup: $370 to $600.
- Business-hours main-line backup, same day: $275 to $450.
If it can safely wait until morning, waiting saves the after-hours rate. That’s why our dispatchers will tell you if it can.
After the emergency
A main-line backup usually has a cause: roots, grease, a sagging section of pipe, or sand in beach-area laterals. If you don’t find and fix the cause, it will probably happen again. A sewer camera inspection once the line is clear shows what’s going on. Our guide to the warning signs of a sewer line backup covers what to watch for next time.
Frequently asked questions
Is a clogged toilet an emergency?
Only if it’s the only toilet in the house, or if it’s overflowing and you can’t stop it. Close the supply valve behind the toilet to stop it filling. If you have another toilet, it can usually wait until morning.
Is a clogged kitchen sink an emergency?
Usually not. If other drains work and no water is entering the house, book a daytime visit.
How fast can an emergency plumber get to me in La Jolla?
Our average arrival in 92037 is 45 minutes from your call. Typical drive times once a technician is dispatched range from 15 to 25 minutes to The Village up to 25 to 40 minutes to Torrey Pines.
Will insurance cover a sewage backup?
It depends on your policy. Many standard homeowner policies exclude sewer backup unless you’ve added an endorsement. Take photos, keep the invoice, and ask for camera footage of the cause if you plan to claim.
Water coming up into the house right now? Call (858) 363-8328. We answer 24/7.