24/7 Emergency HVAC and Plumbing: What Counts and What to Do

It's 2 a.m. You get up for a glass of water and your socks land in a puddle. Or it's the coldest night of the year and the house just keeps getting colder. Your heart rate goes up, and the first question is the same for everybody: is this an emergency, or can it wait until morning?

An HVAC or plumbing emergency is anything that puts your safety, your health or your home at risk right now, like a gas smell, an active leak, no heat in freezing weather, or no cooling in dangerous heat. The first step is to make the situation safe by shutting off the water, power or gas, or getting out of the house if needed. Then call for help. If the problem is inconvenient but stable, it can usually wait for a daytime appointment.

Let's not overcomplicate this. Here's how to tell the difference, what to do in the first few minutes, and what to expect when you call us at night, on a weekend or on a holiday.

What Counts as an HVAC or Plumbing Emergency

A simple test: if waiting a few hours would make the problem more dangerous, more damaging or more expensive, treat it as an emergency. These usually qualify:

Safety First: When to Call 911 or the Gas Company

To be clear, some situations call for emergency services before they call for us.

Once the immediate danger is handled, we can help diagnose and repair the equipment that caused it.

Shutoffs Every Homeowner Should Know

Knowing where a few valves and switches are can turn a disaster into an inconvenience. If you don't know where yours are, take ten minutes this weekend and find them. Your future self will thank you.

Main water shutoff

This valve stops water to the whole house. It's often where the water line enters the home, in a crawlspace, basement, garage or utility closet. Some homes also have a shutoff at the meter near the street. Turn it clockwise (or turn a lever-style valve a quarter turn) until it stops.

Fixture shutoffs

Most toilets and sinks have small valves on the supply lines underneath them. If the leak is at one fixture, you can often shut off just that one and keep water running to the rest of the house.

Water heater

Close the cold water valve on the pipe going into the top of the tank. Then shut off the power at the breaker for an electric unit, or turn a gas unit's control to "off" or "pilot." Don't try to drain a leaking tank yourself unless you know what you're doing. The water inside can be scalding.

HVAC system

If your system is making a grinding or burning smell, set the thermostat to "off" and shut off the breaker for the system. Your outdoor unit also usually has a disconnect box mounted on the wall nearby.

What to Do While You Wait

Once things are safe and you've called, here's how to protect your home and your family until a technician arrives.

If water is leaking

Shut off the water, move valuables and electronics out of the way, and soak up what you can with towels. Take a few photos for your records. If water is near outlets or electrical equipment, stay out of it and shut off power to that area at the breaker if you can do so safely.

If the heat is out in freezing weather

Close doors to rooms you aren't using, layer up, and keep everyone in one warm space. Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls and let faucets drip to help keep pipes from freezing. If you use a space heater, keep it well away from anything that can burn, and never use a grill, generator or oven to heat the house.

If the AC is out in dangerous heat

Close blinds, keep everyone hydrated, and stay on the lowest floor. If the outdoor unit or indoor lines are covered in ice, turn the system to "off" so it can thaw; running it frozen can make the damage worse. If anyone shows signs of heat illness, get them somewhere cool and call for medical help.

When It Can Wait Until Morning

Not every problem needs a technician at midnight, and we'd rather be honest about that than have you pay for urgency you don't need. These can usually wait for a daytime visit:

That said, you know your home and your family. If you're not sure, call us. We'll ask a few questions and help you decide whether it needs someone tonight or can wait for a scheduled appointment. If every drain in the house is backing up at once, that usually points to the main sewer line. Mainline and sewer work is something we don't offer yet (it's coming soon), so we'll tell you that up front and help you figure out your next step.

Nights, Weekends and Holidays at Call Dad

Plumbing and HVAC problems don't check the calendar first. That's why Call Dad is available 24/7 for emergencies, including nights, weekends and holidays. Dads don't take Sundays off when the family needs them.

Here's the thing a lot of homeowners don't expect: we don't tack on inconvenience surcharges because your water heater picked Christmas Eve to quit. We think it's simple. You didn't choose when it broke, so you shouldn't pay extra for bad timing. Our pricing reflects the quality of the parts, the warranty behind the work, and fixing the actual cause of the problem rather than putting a band-aid on it.

When you call, we'll ask what's happening, help you make things safe, and give you an honest picture of timing based on what's going on that night. During a big freeze or a heat wave, a lot of families are calling at once, and we'll tell you straight where things stand. Every technician we send is background-screened, drug-tested, licensed and insured.

We've Got Your Back

Emergencies feel big in the moment, but most of them get a lot smaller once the water is off, the gas is handled, or the family is warm and safe. Take care of safety first, use your shutoffs, and then give us a call. If it can wait, we'll help you schedule a daytime visit. If it can't, we'll get moving. Call your local Call Dad office or schedule online. Any day, any night, any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a plumbing emergency?

A plumbing emergency is any problem that's causing or about to cause damage or a safety risk. That includes an active leak you can't stop, water coming through a ceiling or wall, a burst or frozen pipe, a leaking water heater, or a toilet or drain that keeps overflowing. A dripping faucet, a running toilet or one slow drain can usually wait for a daytime appointment.

Is no heat an emergency?

No heat is an emergency when temperatures are near or below freezing, or when babies, older adults or anyone with health concerns live in the home. Cold weather also puts pipes at risk of freezing. Close off unused rooms, keep everyone in one warm space, and let faucets drip. Never use a grill, generator or oven to heat the house while you wait for help.

What should I do if I smell gas in my house?

Don't flip switches, use appliances or light anything, because a spark can ignite gas. Get everyone out of the house right away, then call your gas utility's emergency line or 911 from outside. Don't go back in until responders say it's safe. After the gas is handled, an HVAC or plumbing technician can inspect and repair the furnace or water heater involved.

How do I shut off the water to my house in an emergency?

Find your main water shutoff valve, usually where the water line enters the home in a crawlspace, basement, garage or utility closet. Turn a round handle clockwise until it stops, or turn a lever handle a quarter turn. Some homes also have a shutoff at the meter near the street. If the leak is at one fixture, its own valve underneath may be enough.

Can a broken AC wait until morning?

Often, yes. If the house is warm but not dangerously hot and everyone is healthy, a broken AC can usually wait for a daytime visit. It becomes an emergency in extreme heat when someone in the home is vulnerable to heat illness, or if you notice burning smells, smoke or sparking. If the unit is iced over, turn it off so it can thaw.

Does Call Dad charge extra for nights, weekends or holidays?

No. Call Dad is available 24/7 for HVAC and plumbing emergencies, including nights, weekends and holidays, and we don't add inconvenience surcharges for after-hours calls. You didn't pick when your system broke, so you shouldn't pay more for the timing. When you call, our team will help you make things safe and give you an honest picture of timing that night.

What should I do while waiting for an emergency plumber?

Shut off the water at the fixture valve or the main shutoff, then move valuables and electronics away from the water and soak up what you can. Take photos for your records. If water is near outlets or electrical equipment, stay out of it and shut off power to that area at the breaker if you can safely reach it.