Emergency Plumber Houston: $99 to $493, Do This First (2026)

All Houston rows come from Angi's Houston cost pages. The surcharge row is HomeAdvisor's national figure.

Do this now: water spraying in a Houston home

1. Shut off water at the main or the fixture valve. HomeGuide gives this as the first step for any major leak.
2. Can't reach the valve? In the February 2021 freeze the City told residents to call 311 (713-837-0311 from a mobile phone) for help turning water off at the meter.
3. Water near outlets or appliances? Turn off power at the breaker only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot.
4. Smell gas? Leave and call CenterPoint's gas leak line, 713-659-2111, or 911 from outside.
5. Sewage coming up a drain? Stop running water and report it to 311, which lists sewer stoppages at homes with a 1-day service level.
6. Photograph the damage and keep every receipt. Houston's leak adjustment asks for the repair date and cost.

Is it an emergency? What a 24 hour plumber in Houston is for

A burst pipe, sewage backup, gas leak or a main line break is an emergency; a dripping faucet is not. HomeGuide's list of true emergencies also includes a clogged toilet in a one-bathroom home, a water heater flooding an area and pipes at risk of freezing. Everything else is cheaper on a weekday: Angi says Houston emergency calls cost about 1.5 to 3 times standard rates. Companies that take emergency calls set their own hours, so ask what the after-hours rate is before anyone is dispatched. For water already on floors, see water damage restoration in Houston.

Freeze nights: what February 2021 did to Houston's water

Houston averages 10.1 nights a year at or below 32 F at Bush Intercontinental, NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals show, so frozen pipes are rare but not unknown. In February 2021, Houston's water pressure dropped below the state's required minimum of 20 PSI starting Feb 16, and a boil water notice followed until the afternoon of Feb 21. Texas DSHS counted 43 storm deaths in Harris County.

The Red Cross says to let cold water drip from faucets on exposed pipes, open cabinet doors under sinks, keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night, and keep the heat no lower than 55 F when away. If a pipe freezes, thaw it with a hair dryer or heating pad, never an open flame. More on frozen pipes and burst pipe repair.

City or plumber? Houston 311 service levels

Houston 311 gives a leaking water service line, a leaking meter and a minor water line break a 22-day service level, while a sewer stoppage at a residential property, a sewer blockage and a sewer overflow each get 1 day. In practice that means a leak on your side of the meter needs a plumber now, and a sewer problem should be reported to 311 at the same time you call a plumber.

The leak also shows up on the water bill. Houston Public Works credits 100% of a leak repaired within 30 days of starting, 75% within 60 days and 50% after, and gives a 100% credit on the extra wastewater charge. File the adjustment within six months of the repair with the date, address, type of repair and cost.

Before you let a Houston plumber start

1. Ask the emergency or after-hours rate before the plumber drives out. Angi's Houston hourly range is $90 to $600.
2. Check the license on the TSBPE public search; it shows status and disciplinary actions.
3. Ask whether the job needs a City permit and who will pull it.
4. Get the price in writing, and ask for proof of insurance.
5. Ask for an itemized bill. You need it for the leak adjustment and for any insurance claim.

More plumbing help in Houston

All Houston plumbing topics are on plumber in Houston. For a leaking tank, see water heater repair in Houston; for backups, drain cleaning in Houston and sewer line repair in Houston. The national emergency plumber cost guide has after-hours rates by day. Compare emergency plumber in San Antonio and emergency plumber in Fort Worth, or see home repair costs.