Same-day emergency service
Emergency Plumber in Northern Virginia — Same-Day Service
Pioneer Plumbers provides same-day emergency plumbing across Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, and Alexandria. We handle burst and frozen pipes, sewer backups, no hot water and leaking water heaters, overflowing toilets, and major leaks — including outside our regular hours. Call (703) 508-3088 and we route the nearest licensed technician to your door.
What counts as a plumbing emergency
Water you cannot stop
A burst pipe, a fixture or supply line spraying, or any leak you cannot shut off at the fixture is an emergency — water spreads into walls, ceilings, and subfloors fast, and minutes matter.
Sewage backing up
If a toilet, tub, or floor drain is pushing wastewater into your home, stop running water and call right away — it is a health hazard, not just a mess.
No hot water with a leaking tank
A water heater leaking from the body, hissing, or surrounded by standing water needs attention now, not next week.
A toilet overflowing and not stopping
If the bowl is rising toward the rim and the shutoff is not working, that is an emergency before it reaches the floor.
Any gas smell
The smell of gas — like rotten eggs near your water heater or appliances — is the one situation where you leave first and call from outside. Treat it as urgent every time.
A leak you can hear but not find
Running water inside a wall, a ceiling stain spreading, or a water meter spinning with everything off all point to a hidden leak doing damage you cannot see.
What to do right now
Shut off your water
Stop the water first, then call. For a single fixture — a toilet, sink, or supply line — turn the small oval or football-shaped valve at the wall or under the fixture clockwise until it stops. For a burst pipe or a leak you cannot trace, go to your main shutoff and close it. In most Northern Virginia homes the main valve is where the water line enters: near the water heater, in the basement or crawlspace, in a utility closet, or just inside the garage. It is usually a round wheel (turn clockwise) or a lever (turn a quarter-turn until it crosses the pipe). If you cannot find it or it will not budge, call us at (703) 508-3088 and we will talk you through it. Once the water is off, open a low faucet to drain the lines and relieve pressure.
Shut off the gas (only if you smell gas)
Do not touch the gas unless you smell it. If you smell gas — a rotten-egg odor near your water heater, furnace, or stove — do not flip switches, light anything, or use your phone indoors. Get everyone out of the house first. Then, if you can do it safely on your way out, turn the gas off at the meter: use a wrench to turn the valve a quarter-turn so the lever sits crosswise to the pipe. From a safe distance outside, call your gas utility's emergency line, then call us at (703) 508-3088. We do not relight gas appliances until the leak is found and the line is confirmed safe — and neither should you.
Emergencies we handle
Burst & frozen pipes
A burst or frozen pipe can flood a level of your home in minutes. Shut off your main water valve, open a faucet to relieve pressure, and call us. We trace the failure, show you what happened, and give you a written estimate before any repair — whether it is a single section or a sign your supply lines are due for repiping. Galvanized lines in older Fairfax homes and polybutylene installed in Prince William between 1978 and 1995 are common culprits behind sudden bursts.
Learn more →Sewer & drain backups
When wastewater backs up into a tub, floor drain, or basement, stop using water and call right away — it is a health hazard. We put a camera down the line to find exactly where it is blocked, whether it is grease, a root intrusion in clay soil, or a collapsed section, and show you the footage before recommending anything. You see the problem on screen and approve a written estimate before we work.
Learn more →No hot water / leaking water heater
No hot water is inconvenient; a water heater leaking from the tank body is an emergency. Standing water around the unit, hissing, or a steady drip means the tank may be failing. We diagnose whether it is a repairable part — a thermostat, element, or valve — or a tank that needs replacement, and lay out both options in a written estimate so you decide. Until we arrive, shut off the water supply to the heater if you can reach the valve.
Learn more →Overflowing or running toilet
If a toilet is overflowing, turn the oval shutoff valve at the wall clockwise to stop the water, then lift the tank lid and push the flapper closed. That buys you time. A toilet that runs without stopping is wasting water — a running toilet can waste over 6,000 gallons a year — and usually points to a worn flapper, fill valve, or a deeper clog. We find the real cause and give you a written estimate before any repair.
Learn more →Gas leaks
A gas leak is the one emergency where you leave first and call second. If you smell gas — that rotten-egg odor near a water heater, furnace, or stove — do not flip switches or use your phone indoors. Get everyone out, then call your gas utility's emergency line from outside, and call us at (703) 508-3088. We coordinate after the utility has secured the line, find the source, and never relight an appliance until the system is confirmed safe.
Learn more →How fast can we get there?
We offer same-day service for most emergency calls. When you call (703) 508-3088, we route the nearest available licensed technician to your address so help reaches you as fast as our schedule allows. We are a local team — family-owned in Northern Virginia since 2017 — not a national call center, so the person who answers knows the area and can talk you through shutting off your water while a truck is on the way. Our regular hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and emergency service is available outside those hours. We will not promise a specific arrival window we cannot keep, but we will tell you honestly when we can be there.
Transparent pricing, even in an emergency
Even in an emergency, you get a written estimate before we start, and the price we quote is the price you pay. We diagnose the actual problem first — often with a camera you can watch — show you what is going on, and lay out your options in writing. No hidden line items, no "we found something else" once we are mid-repair. We do not publish flat emergency prices because no two emergencies are the same: the cost depends on what failed, how far the water or damage has spread, how easy the problem is to reach, and the parts your home needs. What never changes is that you approve the estimate before we pick up a wrench.
Emergency plumbing FAQ
Do you offer 24/7 emergency plumbing in Northern Virginia?
We offer same-day emergency service and are available outside our regular hours for emergencies. Our normal hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday is closed for regular scheduling, with emergency service available. When you call (703) 508-3088, we route the nearest licensed technician to your home as quickly as we can.
How fast can a plumber get to my house?
We dispatch same-day for most emergency calls and send the nearest available licensed technician to your address. We will not promise a specific number of minutes we cannot guarantee, but when you call (703) 508-3088 we will tell you honestly when we can be there and walk you through shutting off your water in the meantime.
What counts as a plumbing emergency?
A plumbing emergency is any situation where water, sewage, or gas is causing damage or a safety risk you cannot stop yourself. That includes burst or frozen pipes, sewage backing up indoors, a water heater leaking from the tank, an overflowing toilet you cannot shut off, and the smell of gas. For a gas smell, leave the house and call your gas utility first, then call Pioneer Plumbers at (703) 508-3088.
My pipe burst — what do I do right now?
Shut off your main water valve first, then call us. The main shutoff is usually where the water line enters the home — near the water heater, in the basement or crawlspace, or just inside the garage — and you close it by turning the wheel clockwise or the lever a quarter-turn. Open a low faucet to drain the lines, then call (703) 508-3088 and we will route the nearest technician. If you cannot find or turn the valve, call us and we will talk you through it.
How do I shut off my water in an emergency?
For one fixture, turn the small oval valve at the wall or under it clockwise until it stops. For the whole house, find your main shutoff where the water line enters — near the water heater, in the basement, crawlspace, or garage — and close it by turning the round wheel clockwise or the lever a quarter-turn so it crosses the pipe. After it is off, open a low faucet to relieve pressure. If the valve is stuck or you cannot locate it, call Pioneer Plumbers at (703) 508-3088.
Water heater is leaking — is that an emergency?
It can be, depending on where it is leaking. Water dripping from a fitting or valve at the top is often a repairable part, but water seeping or pooling from the tank body itself means the tank is failing and should be addressed right away before it floods the area. Shut off the water supply to the heater if you can reach the valve, then call (703) 508-3088. We will diagnose whether it is a repair or a replacement and give you both options in a written estimate.
Sewage is backing up into my basement — who do I call?
Call Pioneer Plumbers at (703) 508-3088, and stop running water in the house until we arrive — every flush or load of laundry adds to the backup. A sewage backup is a health hazard and usually means the main line is blocked by grease, roots, or a collapsed section. We camera the line to find exactly where and why it is blocked, show you the footage, and give you a written estimate before any work.
I smell gas near my water heater — what should I do?
Leave the house first — that is the one rule that matters most. Do not flip light switches, light anything, or use your phone indoors. Get everyone outside, and if you can do it safely on the way out, shut the gas off at the meter with a quarter-turn of the valve. From a safe distance, call your gas utility's emergency line, then call Pioneer Plumbers at (703) 508-3088. We do not relight any gas appliance until the leak is found and the line is confirmed safe.