Emergency, or can it wait until Monday?
After-hours calls often cost more. Use this to decide, but when in doubt about safety, treat it as urgent.
If you smell gas, leave the building first and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. Do not switch lights or appliances on or off.
| Situation | Usually |
|---|---|
| Burst pipe or water you cannot stop at the fixture | Urgent. Shut the main valve, then call. |
| Sewage backing up into the house | Urgent. Stop using water and call. |
| Burning smell, sparks or a hot outlet or panel | Urgent. Switch off the breaker and call an electrician. |
| No heat in freezing weather, especially with infants or elderly people at home | Urgent. |
| Slow drain, dripping faucet, running toilet | Can wait. Turn off the fixture valve if needed. |
| One dead outlet, no burning smell | Can wait. Check the GFCI reset and the breaker first. |
| AC blowing warm air on a mild day | Can wait. Check the thermostat, filter and outdoor breaker. |
| Water heater giving lukewarm water | Can wait. If it is leaking from the tank itself, plan a replacement soon. |
Before any call
Note the age of the equipment. A 14 year old water heater with a leaking tank is a different conversation from a 3 year old one. Decode the age from the serial number at HomeServicePros247.