When is a leak an emergency?

You spot water under the sink, or hear a drip behind the bath, or notice a damp patch on the ceiling. Now what? The honest answer depends on what kind of leak it is. Here’s a 60-second framework we use ourselves to triage call-outs.

The two questions that matter

1. Can you stop the water reaching things that matter?
2. Is the leak getting worse, staying the same, or going away?

That’s it. The rest is detail.

Emergency now: call us

Call straight away if:

• Water is actively flooding anywhere: kitchen floor, bathroom, behind the washing machine
• You can’t close the stopcock and water won’t stop
• A leak is dripping onto an electrical fitting (consumer unit, light fixture, plug socket)
• The water is discoloured brown or rusty AND you have a leak from a heating pipe (boiled rusty water can cause more property damage than clean leaks)
• A gas leak: call National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first, then us
• A boiler is leaking water internally and the pressure is dropping continuously

These are jobs we attend within 60–90 minutes anywhere in Cardiff and the Vale.

Next-day / within 48h (book today)

Phone us today, book the next available slot (usually next morning or within 48 hours) if:

• The leak is slow but constant: drips faster than once every 5 seconds
• A radiator valve is weeping water (small puddle forming under it)
• An outdoor pipe has frost-burst (winter)
• A toilet is leaking from the cistern or pan base, but the water shut-off works
• A ceiling stain has appeared and is growing, even if you can’t see active water yet

These get the next available slot (usually next morning or within 48 hours) at standard rates.

Same week (book within a few days)

Wait a few days for jobs like:

• A dripping tap that’s been like that for months
• A shower with low flow or scale build-up
• An isolation valve that needs replacing
• A sealed bath with worn silicone bead
• A toilet flush that needs adjusting

These are perfectly fine to book in for the next available slot, typically 2–5 working days.

Stop the water first

Whatever the severity, the immediate action is the same: stop the water reaching the thing that matters. In order:

1. Turn off the appliance/tap if applicable
2. Close the local isolation valve (under the sink, under the toilet) if there is one
3. Close the main stopcock if step 2 doesn’t work, usually under the kitchen sink, sometimes behind the WC
4. Catch the water in a bowl if you can’t stop it
5. Move valuables out of the affected area (rugs, electronics, books)

Most modern Cardiff homes have isolation valves under every basin and toilet. If yours don’t, that’s the cheapest plumbing upgrade you can do: a pack of 5 valves costs us £15 to fit during any other job. Saves the panic later.

What to send us when you call

If it’s not a flood, the more we know, the more accurate the price. Send us:

• A photo of the leak (top of the leak point, not just where the water is)
• A photo of the under-sink isolation valves if it’s a kitchen / bathroom job
• Your postcode
• Make and model of the appliance if it’s a fault from a tap, boiler or radiator

We usually come back within 30 minutes during working hours. Sending photos saves us a trip out and you a fee.

When the “leak” isn’t a leak

Half the leak callouts we go to aren’t leaks. Things that look like leaks but aren’t:

• Condensation on cold pipes: common in summer; wrap the pipe with foam insulation
• A relief valve discharging: that’s the safety valve doing its job; means a different problem (expansion vessel, thermostat, etc.)
• Soakaway from the boiler condensate pipe: black plastic pipe outside the boiler, drips when the boiler is running. That’s normal.
• A damp patch from outside: failed pointing on brickwork, blocked gutter, or leaking flashing. Call a roofer, not a plumber

If you’re unsure, send the photo. We won’t charge for telling you “that’s not a leak, it’s condensation” over text.

Out of hours

If it’s after 7pm or before 7am and it’s an emergency, the 07545 125 168 line goes to a triage system. Genuine emergencies wake Nigel; non-urgent calls (dripping tap, slow shower) get a callback first thing in the morning. Don’t worry about which side you’re on; the triage is automatic.

We answer on the first ring during working hours. Out of hours, expect a callback within 30–45 minutes for true emergencies. We don’t outsource our overnight cover.