If a pipe has burst, a sewer line is backing up, water is pouring from a fixture, or you smell gas, stop reading and call. The instructions below assume you’ve already made that call and are waiting for the truck.
Staggs Plumbing has handled emergency calls in Plano since 1990. Randy Staggs holds Texas Master Plumber License #M-17697. $2 million in general liability insurance. 2-year labor warranty on every repair, even at 2 a.m.
What to Do Right Now (Before We Arrive)
If a pipe has burst or you have major flooding
- Shut off the main water supply valve. This is the single most important thing you can do. Most Plano homes have the interior main on the wall near the water heater, in a utility closet, or on the exterior foundation wall facing the street.
- Turn off the water heater. If electric, flip the breaker. If gas, set the dial to “Pilot.” A water heater firing with no water in it will destroy itself in minutes.
- Move what you can. Get electronics, paperwork, and rugs off the floor.
- Document everything. Take photos and video before cleanup. You’ll need them for an insurance claim.
- Do not touch standing water near outlets or appliances.
If sewage is backing up
- Stop using all water in the house — no flushing, no sinks, no laundry, no dishwashers.
- Keep people and pets away from the affected area. Raw sewage carries E. coli, hepatitis A, and other pathogens.
- Open windows to vent sewer gas. Don’t light flames — methane is present.
- Don’t try to clear it with chemical drain cleaner. It won’t work on a main line blockage.
If you smell gas
- Leave the house immediately. Don’t flip switches, don’t use phones inside, don’t turn anything on or off.
- From outside, call Atmos Energy: 866-322-8667. They will shut off service at the meter at no charge.
- Then call us at 682-284-0966 to schedule the leak detection and repair.
What Counts as a Plumbing Emergency
Call now (emergency):
- Active flooding or water spraying from a pipe
- Burst pipe (any size)
- Sewer backup into showers, tubs, or floor drains
- Gas leak or strong gas smell
- Water heater leaking from the tank body (not a fitting)
- No water at all in the house with no known cause
- Slab leak with water emerging through flooring
- Frozen pipe that hasn’t burst yet but is at risk
Same-day but not 2 a.m. urgent:
- Single fixture leak you’ve isolated by closing its shut-off valve
- Toilet that won’t flush but isn’t overflowing
- Water heater not producing hot water (no leak)
- Slow drain that’s still draining
Why Plano Has More Plumbing Emergencies Than Most Markets
Expansive black clay soil. The DFW metroplex sits on clay that swells up to 15% when saturated and contracts severely during drought. Pipes that have been stressed for 30+ years eventually crack at fittings.
Hard water at 15–20 grains per gallon. Plano tap water tests 2–3 times harder than the national average. Mineral scale builds inside copper supply lines and accelerates pinhole leak development.
Construction designed for summer, not winter. DFW homes route supply lines through unconditioned attics and exterior walls. February 2021’s Winter Storm Uri caused average burst-pipe damage of $27,000 per affected home across Texas.
Our Emergency Response Process
When you call 682-284-0966, you reach a live dispatcher — not a voicemail, not a callback queue.
- Triage call (under 2 minutes). We ask what’s happening and whether the water is shut off.
- Truck dispatched. Average arrival is 45 minutes in the Plano/Allen/Frisco/McKinney core.
- Master plumber on the truck. Every emergency call gets a licensed plumber under Texas Master Plumber License #M-17697.
- Diagnosis and flat-rate quote on the truck. Before any wrench turns, you see the price in writing.
- Repair, test, and document. Every repair gets pressure-tested and a written invoice for your insurance adjuster.
Service Area for Emergency Response
Plano, Allen, Frisco, McKinney, Richardson, Murphy, Wylie, Sachse, Lucas, Parker, Fairview, The Colony, Prosper, Celina, Garland, Carrollton, Rockwall, and East Dallas.