Emergency plumber in Portland: the short answer
If water is spraying, pouring through a ceiling or sewage is coming up a drain, shut off the main water valve, keep everyone away from wet outlets and call a plumber now. A broken supply pipe keeps flowing until the water is turned off, so the shutoff matters more than anything else in the first few minutes. Call (207) 555-0163 to be connected with a local plumber serving Portland, South Portland, Biddeford, Saco and Yarmouth, and ask what to do until help arrives.
Does your problem count as an emergency?
Call now if any of these is happening:
- a burst or split pipe, including one that froze and is now leaking as it thaws
- water coming through a ceiling, a wall or a light fixture
- sewage backing up into a tub, shower or basement floor drain
- a water heater leaking from the tank
- a sump pump that has stopped while water rises in the basement
- no heat in freezing weather, which puts every pipe in the house at risk
- a toilet overflowing that won't stop when you close its valve
A drip, a toilet that runs now and then or one slow drain can usually wait for a regular appointment. See what can wait until morning, or our main page on Portland plumbing help for every service.
What to do right now
Water first, then safety, then the call.
- Shut off the water. Close the main valve where the water line enters the house, usually near the meter, often in the basement. For a single fixture, close its own shutoff valve. Here's how to find your main shut-off valve.
- Drain the lines. Open a faucet on the lowest floor so the water left in the pipes has somewhere to go.
- Stay clear of electricity. Don't walk through standing water near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel.
- Protect what you can. Move valuables, put buckets under drips and take photos for your insurer.
- Smell gas? Leave the building and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. That's not a plumbing call.
Emergencies by season in Portland
Winter brings most of the urgent calls. Portland's average January low is about 15.6°F, with roughly 10 nights a year at or below 0°F, and Consumer Reports notes pipes usually freeze below 20°F. Frozen pipes, burst pipes and boilers that quit on the coldest night are the classic Maine plumbing emergency. Spring snowmelt and heavy rain test sump pumps and floor drains, and sewer backups and water heater failures happen any time of year. Read frozen and burst pipe repair for the winter side.
What happens when the plumber arrives
Stop the water
The plumber confirms the water is off and, if needed, caps or clamps the broken section so the rest of the house can have water back.
Find the cause
A split pipe, a failed fitting, a blocked sewer line or a tank that has rusted through. The cause decides the repair.
Explain the options
A temporary fix tonight and a permanent repair later, or a full repair now, with the price or how it's calculated before work starts.
Repair and test
The fix itself, then running water through the system to check for leaks, flow and drainage.
Next steps
Advice on drying, preventing a repeat and documenting the damage. Soaked drywall or flooring is a job for a water damage restoration company.
What affects the cost of an emergency call
- Timing: nights, weekends and holidays often cost more than a weekday visit.
- Access: a pipe inside a finished ceiling or wall takes longer than one in an open basement.
- The repair: a single fitting versus several feet of pipe, or a water heater that has to be replaced.
- Temporary plus permanent: two visits cost more than one, but sometimes a temporary fix is the only safe option at night.
- Travel: island calls depend on the ferry and take more time.
See the plumbing cost guide for how quotes compare.
Questions to ask on an emergency call
- Are you licensed in Maine, and what's your license number?
- How do you charge: flat rate, hourly or an after-hours rate?
- Is there a charge to come out or to diagnose the problem?
- Can you tell me the price before you start the repair?
- Is tonight's fix temporary or permanent?
- What warranty comes with the parts and the labor?
Emergency plumbing near you in Portland
We take calls from every corner of the city, from Munjoy Hill and the Old Port to North Deering and Stroudwater, and from South Portland, Biddeford, Saco and Yarmouth. In a triple-decker or apartment building, a leak on one floor quickly reaches the units below, so warn your neighbors and the landlord as soon as the water is off. Renters should call the landlord or property manager too.
What to have ready when you call
- your address, and whether it's a house, condo, apartment or multi-unit building
- what's happening, and whether you've shut the water off
- where: which floor, which fixture, the basement or outside
- the type of heat, if the problem is no heat or frozen pipes
- whether you own or rent