Call (317) 676-7903 now. The line is answered by a person 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and the next available licensed plumber is dispatched from inside Marion County.
- Same rate at 2 a.m. as at 2 p.m. We don’t charge an overtime or after-hours fee.
- You get the price in writing before any work starts.
- Licensed and insured Indiana plumbing contractors on every call.
If water is actively running where it shouldn’t be, read the next section while you wait for us.
Stop the damage before we arrive
The first five minutes matter more than the next five hours. Here is what to do in a typical Indianapolis home.
Shut off the water. In most Indianapolis houses with a basement, the main shutoff is a wheel or lever valve on the pipe where the water line comes through the foundation wall, usually within a few feet of the water meter. In slab and crawlspace homes, common on the south and east sides, look near the water heater, in a utility closet, or at a valve box in the yard near the street. Turn a wheel valve clockwise until it stops; turn a lever a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe. If the leak is at one fixture only, close the small oval valve under that sink or behind that toilet instead.
Shut off the water heater. If the tank is leaking or you’ve shut off the main, turn a gas water heater’s control knob to “Pilot” or “Off” and flip the breaker for an electric one. A tank that heats with no water in it will destroy its elements or crack.
Kill the power if water is near outlets. If water is pooling near an outlet, appliance or the electrical panel, switch off the breaker for that area, or the main breaker if you’re not sure. Do not stand in water to do it.
Move what you can. Rugs, boxes, electronics. Put a bucket under an active drip.
Don’t pour anything down a backed-up drain. Chemical drain cleaners do nothing against a main line blockage or tree roots, and they make the standing water hazardous for the plumber who has to work in it.
If you smell gas, leave the house first. Then call Citizens Energy’s emergency line and us, in that order, from outside.
Is this a plumbing emergency?
We’d rather tell you to wait than charge you for a midnight visit you didn’t need. There’s no overtime fee either way, but if the problem can wait, you’ll have more scheduling options in the morning.
Call us now if:
- A pipe has burst or a frozen pipe has split and is leaking, or you suspect one has frozen and the pressure is building.
- Sewage is backing up into a tub, shower, floor drain or basement.
- You have no water at all, and your neighbors do.
- Your water heater is leaking from the tank itself (not just a fitting) or making a loud banging and boiling sound.
- A toilet is overflowing and won’t stop after you’ve closed its valve.
- Your sump pump has failed during active rain and water is rising in the pit.
- You smell gas (leave first, call from outside).
It can usually wait until morning if:
- One drain is slow but still draining.
- A faucet drips or a toilet runs intermittently (close its supply valve overnight).
- Water pressure is low but water is flowing.
- A fitting under a sink drips slowly and a bucket is catching it.
- The water heater produces lukewarm water but isn’t leaking.
Not sure? Call and describe it. We’ll tell you straight.
Emergencies we handle around the clock
Frozen and burst pipes
From December through February this is the most common emergency call in Indianapolis. Pipes in crawlspaces, garages, exterior walls and unheated additions freeze when temperatures drop into the teens, and the ice splits the pipe. The leak usually shows up when things thaw. We locate the split, replace the damaged section, and can insulate or reroute the line so it doesn’t happen again. Our frozen pipe guide explains how to prevent it; our leak detection page covers hidden leaks.
Sewer backups
Older parts of Indianapolis sit on a combined sewer system, and the clay sewer laterals under neighborhoods like Irvington, Meridian-Kessler and Fountain Square have spent decades being invaded by tree roots. Add a heavy spring storm and the line backs up through the lowest drain in the house. We clear the blockage, then run a camera so you know whether it was roots, grease or a collapsed section. See sewer line repair.
Water heater failures
Indianapolis water averages about 19 grains per gallon of hardness, which means a tank heater here fills with sediment faster than almost anywhere in the country. Tanks that rumble, then leak from the bottom, have usually corroded through. We can often replace a standard tank the same day and will tell you honestly whether a repair makes sense. See water heater repair.
Sump pump failure in a storm
March through May, clay soil and heavy rain push water toward Indy basements, and a pump that sat idle all winter fails at exactly the wrong moment. We replace pumps, check valves and float switches on emergency calls and can add a battery backup so a power outage during a storm doesn’t flood the basement. See sump pump repair.
Gas leaks
If you smell gas, get everyone outside, then call Citizens Energy and us. The utility shuts off and makes safe the supply; we find and repair the leak in your home’s lines, pressure-test the system and get the appliances relit. See gas line repair.
Overflowing toilets and main line clogs
When every toilet in the house gurgles or an overflow won’t stop after you close the valve, the problem is the main line, not the toilet. We clear it with an auger or hydro jetting and check the line with a camera. See drain cleaning.
No water
If your neighbors have water and you don’t, the problem is between the street and your fixtures: a frozen line, a failed main shutoff, a broken service line or a stuck pressure regulator. We find it and fix it, including lead or galvanized service lines in pre-1950 homes. See water line replacement.
Emergency plumber near me: who shows up and how fast
We dispatch from inside Marion County, not from a call center three states away. For emergencies inside the I-465 loop the next available truck is usually at your door within a couple of hours, often sooner overnight when traffic is light. Suburbs like Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Avon, Plainfield and Greenwood add drive time, and we’ll tell you the real window when you call rather than promising 30 minutes and arriving in two hours. The plumber who arrives is the one who does the work: licensed in Indiana, insured, and carrying their license card.
What an emergency visit costs in Indianapolis
Most Indianapolis plumbing companies charge 1.5 to 3 times their standard rate after hours; emergency hourly rates in the city commonly run $130 to $250. We don’t add an after-hours premium. The service call fee covers the diagnosis and is credited toward the repair, and you approve a written price before we pick up a tool.
| Emergency job | Typical Indianapolis range |
|---|---|
| Emergency service call and diagnosis | $75 – $150 (credited toward repair) |
| Burst or frozen pipe section repair | $250 – $900 |
| Main sewer line clearing | $250 – $600 |
| Emergency water heater replacement, 40–50 gal | $1,400 – $2,800 installed |
| Sump pump replacement | $400 – $1,200 |
| After-hours surcharge | $0 |
Ranges reflect typical Indianapolis pricing; your written quote is exact. The Indianapolis plumbing cost guide has more detail.
Why homeowners call us first
A phone answered by a person at any hour. A plumber dispatched from inside the county. A price before the work, no overtime fee, and a written guarantee on the repair. Licensed by the Indiana Plumbing Commission, registered with the City of Indianapolis, insured. That’s the whole pitch.
Call (317) 676-7903.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an emergency plumber cost in Indianapolis?
In Indianapolis, emergency plumbing commonly runs 1.5 to 3 times standard rates, or roughly $130 to $250 per hour at other companies. We charge our standard rate at any hour. A typical emergency call here lands between $250 and $900 for a pipe repair or drain clearing, and more for a water heater or sewer replacement. You approve the price before we start.
Do you charge more at night or on weekends?
No. Our after-hours rate is the same as our daytime rate, and there’s no holiday surcharge either. The only thing that changes at night is the traffic, which usually makes us faster.
How fast can you get to my house?
Inside the I-465 loop, emergency calls are usually reached within a couple of hours, and often under an hour overnight. Suburbs add drive time. We give you a real window on the phone and the plumber calls when they’re on the way.
My pipes froze. Should I try to thaw them myself?
You can open the faucet the frozen pipe feeds and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or warm towels, working from the faucet back toward the frozen section. Never use a torch or open flame. If you see a split or bulge, or water starts leaking as it thaws, shut off the main and call us. A frozen pipe that hasn’t burst yet is a time-sensitive call because the ice is still expanding.
Sewage is backing up into my basement. What do I do first?
Stop running water anywhere in the house: no flushing, no showers, no laundry. Every gallon you use adds to the backup. Keep people and pets away from the water. Don’t use chemical cleaners. Then call us. We’ll clear the main line and camera it to find out whether tree roots, a collapsed clay section or a grease blockage caused it.
Where is the main water shutoff in an Indianapolis home?
In homes with a basement, it’s on the water line where it enters through the foundation wall, usually near the meter. In slab or crawlspace homes, check near the water heater, a utility closet, or a valve box in the front yard near the street. It’s worth finding yours tonight, before you need it.
Is a leaking water heater an emergency?
If water is coming from the tank itself, yes: the tank has corroded through and will only get worse. Shut off the water supply to the heater and turn the gas to “Pilot” or flip the electric breaker, then call. If the drip is from a fitting or the pressure relief valve, it can usually wait until morning.
My sump pump stopped during a storm. Can you come tonight?
Yes. Sump pump failures during active rain are one of the most common spring emergency calls in Indianapolis. While you wait, check that the pump is plugged in and the breaker is on, and lift the float by hand to see if it runs. If it doesn’t, we’ll replace the pump and check valve on the spot.
I smell gas. Do I call you or Citizens Energy?
Both, in that order: leave the house, then call Citizens Energy’s gas emergency line, then us. The utility makes the supply safe; we find and repair the leak inside your home’s piping, pressure-test the system and relight your appliances.
Do you handle emergencies in Carmel, Fishers, Greenwood and Avon?
Yes, along with Zionsville, Plainfield, Westfield, Noblesville, Brownsburg, Beech Grove and Lawrence. Arrival windows are a little longer than inside Indianapolis because of the drive, and we’ll tell you the real estimate when you call.
Will you give me a price before starting the work?
Always. The plumber diagnoses the problem, explains the options and gives you a written price. Nothing happens until you approve it. The service call fee is credited toward the repair if you proceed.
Are emergency repairs covered by homeowners insurance?
Often the water damage is covered while the plumbing repair itself is not, but policies vary. Sudden events like a burst pipe are usually covered; gradual leaks and sewer backups frequently need a separate rider. We document the cause and provide an itemized invoice so your claim goes smoothly.
A plumbing emergency in Indianapolis doesn’t wait for business hours, and neither do we. Call (317) 676-7903 right now and a licensed Indianapolis plumber will be on the way, at the same price you’d pay at noon on a Tuesday.